Never Could Happen
by Diricawl
Summary: CHAPTER 8 FINALLY UP!! A L/J love/hate fic. You have the story from both L&J's PoV via their diaries/journals. Turns out hating each other isn't the only thing they have in common. I'd like feedback, so please READ and REVIEW!!!
1. Hello, My Name is Prongs and I Hate Lily...

Never Could Happen   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Marauders, Lily, or Snape. I made up most of the others.  
  
A/N: That's right, I'm writing a L/J love/hate fic. The reason? Honestly? Well, I've seen a lot of bad L/J love/hate fics out there in the fandom and thought that I could write a better one. I was also bored. Truthfully, it's not hard to be better than some of the fics I've seen out there. I promise, at the very least, to be grammatically correct. This is just another possibility of how Lily and James got together. It's more from James' PoV rather than Lily's. Well, here goes, please tell me what you think.  
  
Chapter 1: Hello, My Name is Prongs and I hate Lily Evans  
  
That's right, I hate Lily Evans. Well, maybe strong dislike is more accurate. I can't really say that I hate anyone, except maybe Severus Snape. And my name isn't really Prongs. I mean, could you imagine anyone's parents actually naming them Prongs? I can't. My best friend gave me that nickname. My real name is James Potter.  
  
My best friend, who gave me that nickname (I'll explain later), is named Sirius Black, but we call him Padfoot. Padfoot says that journals are for girls. I don't agree, I think it's nice to have a place to write down my thoughts. Plus, when I'm older, I can look back and have a book full of memories of my days as a Marauder. Too bad that Aunt Sophie didn't give me this journal until my sixteenth birthday. Hopefully a lot will happen this year for me to write down, and there's always next year. Still, it would have been nice to have a place to write down everything that has happened to me so far in my five years at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. That's right, I'm a wizard. Pretty smashing, isn't it?  
  
Last year was probably the best year ever. My other friend Remus, called Moony, said it was probably our most dangerous. I told him that it was impossible to tell since we still had two more years to go. He just shook his head and said, "I don't know if we could top last year, Prongs." He was subtly reminding me of the circumstances behind my getting that nickname. You see, last year we became Animagi.  
  
You can't tell anyone, because, of course, we're illegal Animagi. It took us three years to figure out how to do it, but finally we succeeded. We can all transform into an animal at will. Well, Sirius, Peter, and I can; Remus is a werewolf and the whole reason we became Animagi. Who's Peter you ask? Peter's the other Marauder. He can become a rat and we call him Wormtail. Sirius can become a dog and I transform into a stag. It's wicked.   
  
Sirius, Remus, Peter, and I are known as the Marauders. We are the best practical joke- pullers at Hogwarts. We're all in Gryffindor and most of our jokes are played on Slytherins. The bunch of slimy gits. Unfortunately, Lily Evans is also a Gryffindor. That brings me back to my original point.  
  
Lily Evans. I really can't stand her. She's completely full of herself, and she thinks she's so smart. She's very snobby and she doesn't like Quidditch. Can you imagine that? Someone who doesn't like Quidditch? I think she's out of her mind. I'm a Chaser on the Gryffindor team and I think I have a good chance of becoming Captain next year. I'm also a Prefect, which is amazing considering the number of detentions I've had in just five years. I think that this year is going to be great. I can't say detention free because that's just not possible. Just think of how the Slytherins would gloat if I didn't play pranks on them?  
  
Snape is a Slytherin and I think I actually hate him. He's a small, little, pathetic, greaseball. He's constantly trying to get me into trouble. I think he hates me too. We have a twisted relationship. He's usually the main target of my practical jokes. I can never get tired of seeing him some to breakfast with pink robes and 'I am an ugly git' tattooed on his forehead. Sirius hates him, too. Sirius is a great pal. He always has a way to cheer me up if I'm blue. Sometimes literally, when Evans gets it into her head to have revenge. I hate to admit it, and I really do, but she's actually smart. If she wasn't such a bitch, then I wouldn't have a problem!  
  
Sigh. So there you go, an insight into the world of James Potter. Now let me tell you my story. This is my sixth year in it's entirety. I hope you enjoy, and Sirius, if you're reading this then I promise to curse you!  
  
James Potter 


	2. Hello, My Name is Scarlet and I Hate Jam...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I don't own anything. I don't own anything.  
  
A/N: Oops, changed my mind. Now I'm going to write it from both Lily and James' PoV from their writings in their journal/diaries. I'll make it clear who's PoV it is though, don't worry. After this chapter the chapters will be much longer, I promise.   
  
Chapter 2: Hello, My Name is Scarlet and I Hate James Potter  
  
I hate James Potter. Well, maybe not hate, but definitely detest. Hate is such a strong word. I guess I really don't hate anybody, except Severus Snape, the slimeball. I really do hate him. As you can probably guess, my name isn't really Scarlet. That's just a nickname my friend Claudia started calling me and it stuck. My real name is Lily Evans.  
  
Five years ago I would have had no use for this diary. I was an ordinary ten going on eleven year old girl and my life was boring. There was nothing to write about. Then I got my letter. It turns out that all of the strange and unusual things I could do were magic! Isn't that fantastic? I couldn't believe I am a witch. Neither could Petunia. She's my sister and a muggle of the worst sort. I wish I could say that I hate her, but mum frowns upon that so I won't even write it down. I don't like her though. We have nothing in common! Plus she calls me a freak. It's hard to get along with someone who made a sign for your door that reads, 'Do not enter, Freak within'.  
  
My best friend Claudia Grover says that she's just jealous and she wishes she could have magical powers too. I'm not so sure I agree with that, but I'll take her word for it because her parents are psychologists and she reads their files. You'd never guess that Claudia is into psychology because she's very much into sports and that's what shows. She's on our House Quidditch team, a Chaser. I personally don't see why she likes Quidditch so much and she's given up trying to convince me how great it is. Potter likes Quidditch, too. I mean, it's just a cross between football, basketball, and ice hockey on broomsticks. But I go to every Quidditch game just to cheer for her.  
  
My other best friend, Megan Christopher, is an artist. She's the one who designs the banners for Claudia and she's very much into photography. Her pictures are terrific and I'm not the only one who admires her sculptures. She studies how magic can affect art and as a result has come up with some very interesting creations. I swear that her work will be in a gallery someday. Potter once told her that her work was, and I quote, 'bizarre'. How rude is that?  
  
Potter is such a twerp. He's rude to my friends, thinks he's so smart, and also thinks he's the world's best Quidditch player. Claudia is much better. Potter just thinks he can do no wrong and somehow he managed to become a Prefect. It's beyond me how he did it considering he's had more detentions than I can count. I'm a Prefect, too. I think I may be Head Girl next year.  
  
Potter plays practical jokes, too. Sometimes they're aimed at me, and then I play one on him, but mostly they're aimed at Snape and other Slytherins. I always laugh when he comes down to breakfast with pink robes and 'I am an ugly git' tattooed on his forehead. Claudia and Megan laugh too, but Stacey Nevare, the fourth girl in our dorm, has zero sense of humor. I don't think I've heard her laugh once in five years.   
  
Remus Lupin is my other friend in our year. He's a sweet, caring, intelligent boy. Completely the opposite of Potter, and yet somehow they're friends. Close friends. Along with two other boys named Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, they are the Marauders. I 'dislike' Black almost as much as Potter, but I don't know Pettigrew enough to hate him. They play a lot of practical jokes on me, and of course I have to retaliate. Potter and I have had a prank war waging since the train ride in our first year. I hate to admit this, really I do, but Potter is actually fairly smart. There, I said it, don't make me say it again. If he wasn't so full of himself, we'd probably be friends! But we're not.  
  
Well, I guess that gives you enough background information on me. I'm just an average witch. I have friends, I have enemies, I even have an owl. Did I mention that? Her name is Lucy. I guess that's all. I'll write again tomorrow. And Claudia, there's an anti-reading charm placed on this diary so you'd better stop now!  
  
Lily Evans  



	3. What Happens When You Mix Soap and Panca...

Disclaimer: I promise that this is not being written for money. I wish I could, but I can't.  
  
A/N: The last chapter was really a prologue to introduce you to my characters. This one will be much longer. Much. Oh and since I'm just kinda having fun with this story, it's going to be very lighthearted and frivolous. I needed a break from the depressing stuff that I was writing, and so this one has lots more pranks. Please review!!!!  
  
Chapter 3: What Happens When You Mix Soap and Pancakes  
  
Evans works fast, I'll give her that. It's only the second day of school and I woke up to find spiders in my bed. Yuck. I just froze them, stepped on them, and threw them out the window. I sure hope I found them all though. Quickly I pulled on my robes and went down for breakfast. Sirius and Peter were still snoring away, but Remus was up and eating. So was Evans.  
  
She just smiled sweetly and waved from farther down the table. "Morning, Potter. Sleep well?"  
  
I ignored her. I had more important things to do. The problem with Evans (or at least one of them) is that she underestimates my intelligence. She never expected me to retaliate so quickly or she would not have left her pancakes unguarded. I needed Remus to help me, because for some reason Remus and Evans are friends. So he distracted her and I poured some liquid soap into her container of pancake syrup. Then I sat back and ate my own. I gave Remus the thumbs up signal and Evans went back to her breakfast. She poured the syrup.  
  
It was brilliant if I do say so myself. See, I would never confine myself to a simple muggle trick. No, I had to make it magic. After Evans took a bite of her soapy pancakes, she burped and a few red bubbles came out of her mouth. It was my own special concoction, a combination of soap, bubbles, a small spell, and red dye. Evans wasn't amused.  
  
"Potter!" she roared. More bubbles trickled out of her mouth.  
  
I just smiled and waved. "Have a nice breakfast, Evans?"  
  
Remus was struggling to keep a straight face. Sirius was going to be mad that he missed out on the fun, but that's what comes from sleeping late. The early bird plays the prank. Or something like that. Anyway, he came down a little while later and started chewing me out for not waking him.   
  
"Calm down, Padfoot, I swear, it was a spur of the moment prank! I was going to try out Bubble-Burst on Snape first, but then Evans filled my bed with spiders."  
  
We both glanced over towards Evans who was trying to drink her pumpkin juice while bubbles kept coming up. Then we looked at each other and burst out laughing. Evans noticed our laughter and made a face.   
  
"What do you think you're laughing at, Potter? Black? I swear, this means war!"  
  
"Doesn't it always?" I replied.   
  
"Just you wait!" Evans was turning red, a special effect of Bubble-Burst. Her friend Claudia tapped her on the shoulder and held up a mirror. Evans shrieked again and ran out of the Hall, with Claudia on her heels. One of the other girls in Evans' dorm, Stacey, looked up from her copy of The Daily Prophet.  
  
"You really should grow up, James," she said.  
  
"Nah, I wouldn't be as much fun," I replied with a grin.  
  
"Leave him alone, Stace. He was only retaliating, Lily started it," Remus said with a small smile.  
  
Stacey turned to him and gave him the full glare from her bright blue eyes. "I truly don't understand you, Remus. How you can watch while your friends torture each other and not interfere?"  
  
Remus shrugged. "Simple, I don't want to be the target of their pranks."  
  
Stacey shook her head and went back to her paper. I caught sight of the headline, upside down. It said, You-Know-Who Takes the Life of Another Family.  
  
"It's getting worse, isn't it," I said quietly. Stacey looked at me in surprise.  
  
"Yes. It is. You see that girl over there?" She pointed to a girl at the Ravenclaw table. "It was her family who was murdered. Her parents and two younger brothers."  
  
Stacey is a strange person. She has absolutely no sense of humor and takes death in stride. To her, the deaths of hundreds is something to pity, but not feel sad about. She's extremely bright and sometimes she shows incredible insight. She also doesn't seem to possess the full range of human emotions. She's kind of scary.  
  
Sirius started babbling about something or other, but I was too busy staring at the Ravenclaw girl. What did it feel like, to one moment have a family, and the next... How could you ever recover? I couldn't imagine losing my parents or my little sister. She had just started Hogwarts this year (Sorted into Gryffindor, naturally) and was so happy to finally be learning magic. It would be so sad if all of that was cut off from her.  
  
"Hello? Earth to James? Are you in there?"   
  
Sirius was shouting in my ear. I started. "What? Sorry, Sirius. What did you say?"  
  
"I said we only have a few minutes to get to class," Sirius said, giving me a funny look. "What were you thinking about?"  
  
"Death," I answered truthfully. Sirius mumbled something that sounded like, "Barking mad!"  
  
"Come on, we have Charms," he said out loud. I let out a small groan.  
  
It's not that I hate Charms, I really don't. Like I said earlier, I'm a Prefect and that means I have good academics. It's just that Charms happens to be Lily Evans' best subject. It's not mine. I'm not terrible, I'm just not great. It's really annoying to see Evans simply flick her wand and perform the charm perfectly. It takes me the whole class to even make progress! She gets to show off and then Professor Flitwick praises her for twenty minutes. It makes me ill.  
  
Transfiguration is my best subject. Professor McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor and Transfiguration teacher, may not like me much, but she can't deny that I am excellent in her class. It's pretty easy for me too. I don't show off or anything like Evans. I couldn't get praise even if I turned a mouse into a grand piano. McGonagall is very strict, I'm a Marauder. Need I say anything more?  
  
Sirius, Remus, and I walked to Charms together, talking about the pranks we needed to pull and when the next full moon was. We reached the door to Flitwick's room and went inside. I tried to take a seat in the back, but they were already full. I was stuck in the front. Next to Evans. I sat down and tried to ignore her. She did the same.  
  
"Good morning class," Professor Flitwick began in his squeaky voice.  
  
"Good morning," the class chorused.  
  
"Today, I want to work on Song Charms. Not the kind with potency, but the ones that are just to create beautiful music. Write this down, please."  
  
We spent the first half of class taking some complicated notes, then he paired us off into partners. I instinctively moved towards Sirius.  
  
"Let's see, Mr. Lupin and Miss Nevare, Mr. Black and Miss Grover, Mr. Pettigrew and Miss Christopher, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans, Miss Bega and..."  
  
I stopped listening. Flitwick had paired me with Evans! I had to experience her bragging first hand and I just knew she would laugh at me. By the look on her face, Evans wasn't pleased about it either.  
  
"Look, Potter, you'd better get this right. I don't want to lose points."  
  
"Then do it yourself, Evans. I'm no good in Charms."  
  
She sighed exasperated. "It's simple, even for an idiot like yourself. All you do is flick your wand and say the spell. You don't have this much trouble in Transfiguration."  
  
Like I said. Self-absorbed. I gritted my teeth, flicked my wand, and said the spell.  
  
"Symphonius!"  
  
Nothing happened. Big surprise. Evans just rolled her eyes and pushed me out of the way.  
  
"You're doing it wrong. The words and movements need to be smooth, like you're conducting an orchestra. Watch."  
  
She rolled up her sleeves and raised her wand. Then she brought it down with a fluid sweeping motion.  
  
"Symphonius!"  
  
And of course, music flowed from her wand. "Show off," I muttered.  
  
Then, just like always, Professor Flitwick walked over and started to praise her.   
  
"Look, Miss Evans has done it! Superb!"  
  
I just put my head down on the desk and tried to take a nap. The rest of the class passed by at a fairly quick speed. I passed the time by thinking of how the feud between Evans and myself started.  
  
I was on the train in my first year, sitting with my new found friends, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. We had been discussing Quidditch teams when this small redheaded girl entered our compartment.   
  
"Excuse me," she said, "but may I sit here? Everywhere else is full."  
  
"Sure," we had all replied. She sat down next to me.  
  
"I'm Lily Evans," she said.  
  
We all introduced ourselves. I started talking about Quidditch and Evans made a face. She's very good at making faces.  
  
"I don't see what's so great about Quidditch. Everyone seems to be talking about it!"  
  
My jaw dropped. "That's because it's only the greatest sport ever! It's fantastic, it's brilliant!"  
  
Evans shrugged. "It's just a sport. What's the big deal? Are you some hotshot on a broom or something?"  
  
I could feel myself turning red. "I bet I'm better than you!"  
  
"That wouldn't be hard," she replied, "seeing as I'm muggleborn and have never been on a broom in my life."  
  
I glared at her. "Well, then I bet I'm better at you in school."  
  
"We'll see. I may be muggleborn, but I'm probably smarter than some daft jock!"  
  
I was so angry that I had pulled out my wand. She pulled hers out as well and we stood facing each other. Luckily Remus stepped in and played peacemaker.   
  
"Relax, both of you. Neither of you know enough magic to do anything anyway. Just calm down."  
  
My anger subsided and I sat down next to Sirius. Evans tossed her head and left the compartment.  
  
"That girl is definitely Slytherin material," I remarked to my friends.  
  
I was brought back to the present by Professor Flitwick's voice. He asked me to stay after the class. I just realized that the bell had rung and I was still sitting at my desk. I was worried that Flitwick was going to take points away for my daydreaming, but he just wanted to talk.  
  
"Mr. Potter, I realize that you are a Prefect and have more responsibilities, but I'm afraid we'll have to remove you from your Prefect position if your scores in my class don't come up. I recommend that you get a tutor. For a little while, anyway."  
  
I was horrified. I hadn't realized that my grades in Charms were so bad. Well, maybe Remus could tutor me, he was a good student.  
  
"I'm sure that Miss Evans would be happy to tutor you," Flitwick was saying.  
  
"What!" I shouted. "Lily Evans, tutor me? I can't be doing that badly! Why are you punishing me?"  
  
Professor Flitwick gave me a funny look. "Miss Evans is the best Charms student I have. I'm sure that she could help you. After all, Mr. Potter, you're not stupid, you just don't pay attention. I'll speak to Miss Evans."  
  
I couldn't believe this. I not only had to be tutored, but Evans had to be my tutor! How unfair could this day get?  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
I thought that the spiders in his bed were a stroke of genius. I don't like spiders much myself, but I managed to dump a box of them in his bed. I doubt very much that he found them all. Remind me not to go into the boy's dormitory for awhile. I certainly didn't think Potter would be able to get even so quickly! Those damn bubbles would have kept coming up if Stacey hadn't removed the spell. Then I just had to deal with the taste of soap in my mouth. And at breakfast I was turning red! Literally! I knew how to take care of that one though, and I made it to Charms normal color and bubble free. I will make Potter pay!  
  
I was in Charms waiting for class to begin when I couldn't help noticing that Potter hadn't shown up yet. In fact, neither had his friends. It was too much to hope for that they'd be late, and sure enough they came barging in right before the bell rang. Potter and crew made their way towards the back. Typical. There was only one problem. There weren't enough seats in the back and Potter had to look elsewhere. The only available seat was in the front. Next to me.  
  
I did my best to ignore him. How was I supposed to know that Flitwick was going to partner us together? He had to know that we couldn't stand each other, it's not like it's a secret. Professor McGonagall has gotten so tired of our bickering that she refuses to let us sit near each other. Apparently Flitwick didn't get the owl. We were learning Song Charms which can be immensely difficult or extremely simple depending on your ability to focus.  
  
Potter doesn't have that ability.  
  
"You're doing it wrong," I said exasperated. "The words and movements need to be smooth, like you're conducting an orchestra. Watch. Symphonius!"  
  
And music poured from my wand. I think that Potter called me a showoff, but I can't be certain. Professor Flitwick came over and congratulated me. I blushed with pride. I love Charms, it's my best subject. It's not Potter's. He spent the rest of the class with his head on his desk. I couldn't wait to leave.  
  
After Charms we had a little while before we had to go to Care of Magical Creatures, so Claudia, Megan, and I ran up to our dormitory to grab our books. Stacey has Study of Ancient Runes that period so she had already gone. I threw myself onto my bed and screamed into my pillow.  
  
"Potter is so infuriating! Why does he have to be such a prick?"  
  
"A prick, most certainly," Megan said, rummaging around under her bed. Megan can never find anything. "But a cute prick."  
  
I nearly fell off of my bed. "I must have heard you wrong, Meg. Did you just call Potter cute?"  
  
"Aha!" she cried triumphantly and pulled out her copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. "Yes, Scarlet, I did call James Potter cute. But like I said, he's a prick. Even you can't deny that he's cute. Well, you could try, but we wouldn't believe you."  
  
I turned to Claudia. "Do you think he's cute?"  
  
She looked at me funny. "Sure. He's cute, he's very cute, but he's Potter which means that neither of us would ever act on it. You can think he's cute and still not like him. Hell, a lot of the handsome boys in this school are twits. It's a Narcissus complex."  
  
There she goes spouting psychology again. I didn't know what to think. My two best friends just admitted that they think Potter is cute! Did I think he is cute? No, absolutely not. He's Potter which means he's not allowed to be cute. Unfortunately I knew that most of the female population at Hogwarts would disagree with me and two of them slept in my dorm.  
  
I could never think that Potter was cute. He's a twerp and has been one ever since our first meeting. I still remember it perfectly. I had come into his compartment and asked to sit down. He and his friends said sure.  
  
Then Potter started talking about Quidditch. I just asked what was so great about it and he was completely offended! He claimed he'd be better on a broom that me, and I told him I didn't doubt it because I had never been on a broom in my life. Want to know a secret? I actually fly very well. It seems to come naturally to me. Claudia tried to convince me to try out for Quidditch, but I don't like sports of any kind. I just like to fly.  
  
Someone was knocking on our door. Megan got up to let the person in.   
  
"Oh, hulllo, Janey," I said to the small girl who had just entered. "What can we do for you?"  
  
"Professor McGonagall's downstairs, Lily. She wants to talk to you."  
  
"Great," I muttered. "I wonder what she wants." Then out loud I said, "Go on to Care of Magical Creatures without me. I'll meet you down there."  
  
Claudia and Megan nodded. I left the room just as Megan said, "Damn it, I've lost my notebook!"  
  
I followed Janey down into the common room where Professor McGonagall was waiting. She was stamping her foot and breathing heavily.   
  
"You wanted to speak to me Professor?"  
  
"Actually, Miss Evans, Professor Flitwick would like to speak to you. I was only sent to fetch you. Please go to his classroom."  
  
"But Professor, I have Care of Magical Creatures now! I'll be late!"  
  
"I'm sure that Professor Flitwick will write you an excuse. Now hurry up."  
  
I ran all the way to the Charms classroom and unfortunately arrived at the same time as his other students. That meant I was facing a room full of sixth year Slytherins and my face was flushed and I was out of breath. Just perfect. Of course, Snape and his crony, Lucius Malfoy, were smirking at me from the back.  
  
I had to tap Professor Flitwick three times before he noticed me.  
  
"Ah, Miss Evans, good. I need a favor from you. I need you to tutor one of my students who is not doing so well in my class. Seeing as you are my best student, I thought that you could help him."  
  
I flushed. He had never called me his best student before. I was very flattered. "I don't know, Professor, I have so much work of my own to do."  
  
"Tell you what, if you agree to tutor this student until his scores come up, then you don't have to take my end-of-the-year exam."  
  
My jaw dropped. I wouldn't have to take his exam in exchange for tutoring some pathetic loser! There was no way I could pass up this opportunity.  
  
"Alright, Professor, I'll tutor. Who is it I'm tutoring anyway?"  
  
"Your student will be James Potter. He needs to raise his scores past passing or he'll be removed as Prefect."  
  
I had stopped listening after the words James Potter. No!  
  
"There has to be someone else who can tutor him! I can't, I can't tutor James Potter!"  
  
"Yes you can, Miss Evans. I suggest you locate him and determine a schedule. I'll write a note for Professor Kettleburn."  
  
Potter and I both have Care of Magical Creatures. The class I was currently late for. So I had no choice but to agree to tutor him. It would not be fun and it would certainly not be easy. Potter was a nightmare.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Evans is a nightmare, honestly," I complained to Sirius. "How on earth is she supposed to help me when we can't stand talking to each other?"  
  
Sirius shook his head and sat down in the bleachers. For some reason, Professor Kettleburn asked us to meet on the Quidditch pitch today.  
  
"I don't know, Prongs, but there has to be at least one redeeming quality about her. Try to accentuate the positives. What about her looks? She's very pretty."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Sirius snorted. "Don't pretend you never noticed. Lily Evans is gorgeous. Too bad she's wound so tight."  
  
"I thought your crush of the week was on her friend Megan," I replied smugly.  
  
"It is, but that doesn't mean I can't say another girl is pretty. It's not a crime you know."  
  
"Both of you shut up," Remus interjected, "the Professor's coming."  
  
Professor Kettleburn was walking our way carrying a cage and behind him were six Hufflepuffs carrying broomsticks.  
  
"We're going to have a fun class today, students. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, has allowed me to teach a lesson on the Snidget. As many of you know the Snidget is nearly extinct, but we have not one, but three with us today. Are all of you capable fliers?" Everyone nodded, but looked confused. "Good. Today we see if you make capable Seekers. The rules are simple. Stay on the pitch, which has already been bewitched with repelling charms so that the Snidgets cannot fly away, and don't harm the birds. Try to catch them, but don't hurt them. The object is to catch the Snidgets and return them safely to this cage. Does everyone understand? Good. Stand next to a broom."  
  
I ended up with an old Shooting Star. It wasn't so bad, after all there were a few Moontrimmers out there! There were sixteen brooms laid out and it wasn't until I saw the extra one, that I realized Evans wasn't there yet. I hoped she wouldn't turn up at all, but no such luck. Just as we were mounting our brooms she came running.  
  
"Sorry I'm late, Professor," she said breathlessly, "I was talking with Professor Flitwick and here's my note."  
  
"Fine, fine, Miss Evans. Just take that remaining broom and I'm sure that one of your classmates can explain what we're doing."  
  
I saw her friend Claudia lean in and whisper in her ear. Then Professor Kettleburn released the Snidgets. I yelled to Evans.  
  
"I bet I catch a Snidget before you, Evans!"  
  
I saw her roll her eyes. She does that a lot. Then she yelled back:  
  
"Hey, Potter, your shoe's untied!"  
  
It was? I looked down to see that I was wearing my loafers. When I looked up again, everyone else had taken off. Damn that girl! I quickly pushed off from the ground and zoomed away.  
  
This was what I needed to relax, just the wind on my face. I was soaring above everybody else simply enjoying the feeling of the flight. I opened my eyes and came face to face with a Golden Snidget. Well, why not? So I zoomed after it. It led me on a roller coaster ride of loops and turns and plummets. Finally I faked it out and managed to catch it's fuzzy little body in my hands. It was safe and sound, though it was making a rather obnoxious noise. I looked around to see if anyone else had caught one. Evans was flying around lazily on her broomstick. That annoyed me. If she was such a good flier, why didn't she play Quidditch?  
  
She noticed I was looking at her. Smiling, she held up the Snidget she had caught before flying back to Professor Kettleburn. I did the same, and after depositing the birds we landed.  
  
"Not bad, Potter," Evans said in that self-satisfied tone I knew so well.  
  
"Considering you had a head start I think it was remarkably good."  
  
She shook her red head and laughed. "I can't believe you fell for that! 'Your shoe's untied' really!"  
  
I started to turn red. "You probably have too."  
  
She shook her head again. "So Flitwick wants me to tutor you. Are you really doing that poorly?"  
  
"You weren't my first choice either, Evans. Flitwick says that you have to do it because you're so damn perfect in Charms."  
  
"Temper, temper. I'd rather not tutor you, but if I do, I don't have to take Flitwick's end of the year exam."  
  
"You know you're crazy about me, Evans." Privately I was fuming. She was rewarded for tutoring me while I was punished. All because of one lousy grade.  
  
"I know you make me crazy, Potter. I have to go now. I'll talk to you about the schedule later and I'm warning you now, you'd better not be planning any tricks."  
  
"Me tricks? Never!"  
  
And with a characteristic toss of her hair, Evans left. Sirius and Remus hopped down off of their brooms and walked over to me.  
  
"You know something, Moony?" Sirius said to Remus. "Maybe this is the perfect chance for our Prongs and Tiger to get together."  
  
"And maybe it's time for you to run, Padfoot!" I said with a mock growl. Sirius yelped and took off running.  
  
If Evans didn't really want me to play any practical jokes when she tutored me, that meant I had to stock up on my Dungbombs. This really was war.  
  



	4. Crack an Egg on Your Head and Let the Yo...

Disclaimer: None of the following is my property except for the students in Lily's dorm. Everything else is J.K. Rowling's and Warner Brothers, I guess.  
  
A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than the last one, but still a decent length. Tell me what you think, and things will get interesting next chapter.  
  
Chapter 4: Crack an Egg on Your Head and Let the Yolk Run Down  
  
Nothing but bad can come from tutoring Potter. I just know it. I've got this feeling. Something's going to happen and it's not going to be pretty.   
  
"Lily! Scarlet! WAKE UP!"  
  
That was Claudia screaming in my ear. I groaned and turned away. It was Saturday for crying out loud! But she insisted on shaking me until I got up. Finally I gave in.  
  
"Claudia, it's Saturday. Why are you making me get up so early?"  
  
"Because I don't want you to miss breakfast. You're tutoring James today and you need every meal you can get."  
  
I sat straight up in my bed, ignoring the hair that fell across my face. "Did you just say that I'm tutoring James today? Why are you calling him James?"  
  
"Because that's his name." But Claudia was avoiding my stare. "Never mind. Get up."  
  
Groaning I pulled myself out of bed. Then I screeched and jumped right back in. The floor was cold! It was only September, why was it so cold? Well, the castle is made of stone. This time I pulled on my slippers before getting out of bed.  
  
"I wish I was sick. The last thing I want to do is tutor Potter today! How do you stand playing Quidditch with him, Claudia? He's impossible!"  
  
Claudia was ignoring me. She was trying to decide what to wear today. "Yes, Scarlet, the entire school knows your opinions on Potter."  
  
"Except Flitwick," I muttered.  
  
"Forget it. You tutor James for a few weeks and you don't have to take Flitwick's end of the year exam! You are definitely getting the better end of the deal."  
  
"I guess you're right." That thought made me slightly happier. "Let's go down to breakfast. I guess Meg and Stace are already there."  
  
Claudia started to giggle. "Um, Scarlet, I don't think you want to go to breakfast in your night-dress."  
  
I looked down. Sure enough, I was still in my night-dress. I laughed. "Thanks, Claud, I don't know what Potter would say if I went to breakfast like this."  
  
I quickly got dressed and Claudia and I went down to the Great Hall. Breakfast was muffins and oatmeal. Blecch. I really hate oatmeal so I stocked up on muffins.  
  
"Slow down, Evans, you don't want to get fat, do you?"  
  
I recognized that voice. Even if he hadn't tipped me off by using my surname, I would have recognized Potter's voice. Now that's a disgusting thought, that I recognize Potter's voice.  
  
"Finish stuffing your face, Potter, and meet me in the library. I want to get this done with as soon as possible."  
  
"Forget it, Evans," Potter said as he buttered a muffin. "I've got Quidditch practice."  
  
I turned to Claudia. "Is he telling the truth?"  
  
"Yes," she answered, turning slightly red. "All morning."  
  
"We'd better get going, Claudia," Potter said after checking his watch, "Patrice doesn't like to be kept waiting."  
  
"Coming," Claudia replied. She turned to me. "See you later, okay?"  
  
"Fine." I stood up and walked back to Gryffindor common room. I grabbed a few books, finished a Potions essay, and practiced my Transfiguration. Then after an hour passed by I went down to the Quidditch pitch. At least Claudia wasn't lying to me. They really were practicing Quidditch.  
  
"Evans!" Potter cried in a horrified voice. "What are you doing here? I told you I had Quidditch practice, so sod off!"  
  
I managed to stay calm and climbed up into the bleachers. "I know, Potter, so I'll sit here and wait until you're finished. Then we'll go to the library and I'll force Charms down your throat."  
  
I couldn't believe it! I had actually reduced Potter to a sate of speechlessness—for a moment anyway. Before he could respond the Gryffindor Quidditch team Captain, Patrice Meyers, yelled at him.  
  
"Potter! Get back over here and stop talking to your girlfriend!"  
  
I screamed, "I am not his girlfriend!" while at the same time Potter yelled, "She's not my girlfriend!"  
  
Patrice didn't seem to care. "Then you shouldn't have any problem coming over here. Evans, right?" I nodded. "If you're going to watch practice, I can't have you disturbing my players, so stay quiet."  
  
Potter smirked before flying off on his Nimbus 1000. I sat down and silently fumed. Now, I sort of enjoy actual Quidditch games. Quidditch practice is a completely different thing and I was truly glad that I had never tried out for the team. Practices are boring! All they do is run drills and fly around. According to Claudia in the first hour they listen to Patrice's 'strategies'. I was glad that I missed that. It was lunch before they stopped. Of course Potter headed immediately to the Great Hall to stuff his face again. I waited for Claudia and we walked together.  
  
"Sorry," Claudia immediately apologized, "I forgot that we had practice today."  
  
"It's alright. It's not your fault. I wonder what's for lunch?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Never in a million years would I have imagined that Evans would show up at Quidditch practice. I was completely surprised and disgusted. Then she proceeded to sit down and watch the entire practice! Luckily, Patrice didn't call off practice until lunch time, so I had another excuse to avoid Evans. I really didn't want her to tutor me, but she seemed to be fixated on the idea and there was no escaping her forever.  
  
Sirius sat down next to me at the table and Remus sat across from us. Peter joined us a little later and sat down next to Remus.  
  
"What have you three been up to?" I asked of my friends.  
  
Sirius leaned in. "We went to Honeydukes," he whispered.  
  
"Without me?" I was mad.  
  
"Sorry, Prongs, but you had practice. We were bored. We brought you some Pepper Imps and Exploding Bon Bons," Remus said.  
  
"Well, I do love Exploding Bon Bons," I said slowly, "but you still should have waited for me!"  
  
"But aren't you being tutored this afternoon?" Peter asked, confused.  
  
"Supposedly," I replied, trying to keep my voice down so that Evans wouldn't hear me. It didn't work.  
  
"Definitely, Potter. You can't escape me this time. I want to get this over with and I assume that you want to stay a Prefect."  
  
I sighed. "Fine, Evans. If you're finished let's go."  
  
Together we stood up from the table and as I passed by Sirius on my way out he whispered:  
  
"Have fun, Prongs, and don't do anything I wouldn't do!"  
  
I whispered back, "That doesn't limit me very much then. Have fun yourself."  
  
I didn't look back, but I imagine that Sirius was looking annoyed. Evans led me straight to the library. We stopped just outside the door.  
  
"Wait," I said. "I don't have my books."  
  
"You don't need them," she replied. "I have mine. Now, sit down!"  
  
I sat. Evans didn't leave me much choice. She sat down across from me.  
  
"Okay, now, I assume that you're at least capable of a Summoning Charm, correct?"  
  
I was indignant. "Of course I can execute a Summoning Charm. Fourth years learn that."  
  
"Fine. Then Summon this book to you."  
  
I tried it. "Accio Charms book!"  
  
Well, the book moved, it just went flying over my head and hit a third year Slytherin. Madam Pince yelled at me. Evans started laughing.  
  
"Oh shut it, Evans. At least the book moved!"  
  
She was trying to contain her laughter and not succeeding. "I, oh dear, ha, just can't believe, ha ha, that you can't Summon things. You're worse off than I thought." Then she sobered. "We could be here all day."  
  
"Not if I have anything to say about it," I grumbled. "Let me try it again. Accio Charms book!"  
  
This time it hit a Hufflepuff. I put my head down on the table. "I don't know what's wrong! I've done this before!"  
  
Evans looked at me skeptically. "Sure, Potter. Your problem is that you don't concentrate! Try it again."  
  
"Accio Charms book!"  
  
* * *  
  
It was past dinner time. Everyone had left the library for fear of being hit by a flying book. I still couldn't do it right! I was really getting frustrated and matters weren't helped when Snape came into the library just to laugh at me.  
  
"Well, well, Potter. Are you really that pathetic that you have to be tutored by a Mudblood?"  
  
"Sod off, Snape," Evans said, her eyes narrowing dangerously.  
  
"Just a minute, Evans. I have things to say to Potter."  
  
"Sod off, Snape," I echoed. "We're busy."  
  
"Surely you haven't spent all day in here studying. Perhaps there's been a little snogging?"  
  
"Oh, you are an idiot, Snape. Evans and I can't stand each other, we wouldn't snog if someone paid us!" I really hated that greaseball.  
  
"Oh, I understand, after all who would want to snog with a Mudblood?" Snape said grinning evilly.   
  
I could tell that Evans was about to take out her wand and curse him, so I stepped in and said something.  
  
"It has nothing to do with her parentage. I don't like her, she doesn't like me, and I have a girlfriend you prat!"  
  
Snape didn't say anything. He left still with that evil smirk on his disgusting face. Evans looked at me curiously.  
  
"Did you just say that to get rid of Snape, or do you really have a girlfriend?"  
  
"Not that it's any business of yours, Evans," I said rudely, "but I do have a girlfriend. Her name's Felicity Kassington. She goes to Beauxbatons."  
  
"Oh."   
  
I couldn't stand the silence. I had to say something. "So, what's next."  
  
Evans looked at me in complete surprise. "Next? You can't even master a Summoning Charm! I don't know how you possibly made it this far, and a Prefect no less! You're Transfiguration marks must be absolutely dazzling! You have absolutely no concentration and your wand work is shoddy."  
  
"Do you have to be so brutal?"  
  
She paused before replying. "Yes, isn't that what we do? Belittle each other? You can't expect me to be nice to you. We don't like each other, remember?"  
  
There was a minute's silence, then Evans yawned. "I'm so tired. We've been here all day." She glanced at her watch. "We've missed dinner! No wonder I'm famished! I've got to eat, Potter."  
  
"Look, Evans, I'm hungry too, but dinner is long over." Then a brilliant idea hit me. "Wait, I know what we can do. I'll be right back."  
  
I ran up to the common room. Sirius and Remus were playing chess, so they didn't notice me slip in. I quickly went up to our dorm and grabbed something out of my trunk. Then I ran back to the library.  
  
"So what's this brilliant plan of yours?" Evans asked impatiently.  
  
"We're going to sneak down to the kitchens and pilfer food."  
  
"Are you barmy? We'll get in so much trouble! What if we get caught?"  
  
"We can't get caught if no one can see us," I answered and pulled out my cloak. I flung it over my head. I heard Evans gasp.  
  
"An invisibility cloak! Where on earth did you get that, Potter?"  
  
"It was my dad's. So are you coming, or would you rather starve to death?"  
  
Evans hesitated. "We could still get in so much trouble! If you go, I'll have to report you, you know."  
  
"Not if you come too." And before she could move, I threw the cloak over her head and grabbed her wrist.  
  
"Ouch, Potter, let go of me!" Evans hissed. "You're twisting my arm!"  
  
"Oops, sorry. Now be quiet and just follow me."  
  
"Like I have a choice," she muttered viciously.   
  
I pulled her down many corridors and passageways until we reached a large picture of a bowl of fruit.  
  
"Just perfect, Potter, are we lost? Damn you, you're going to get us into trouble!"  
  
"I'm not lost," I said as calmly as possible. Then I reached out and tickled the pear. The painting swung open. I quickly pulled Evans through the opening and took off the cloak. We were suddenly surrounded by hundreds of house elves. I could feel Evans seize up.  
  
"Relax, they're just House Elves," I whispered to her.  
  
"I know that," she whispered back irritably.   
  
"What can Gelly do for you sir and miss?" one elf with a particularly squeaky voice asked.  
  
"We missed dinner, Gelly," I said, "could we please have something to eat?"  
  
As soon as the words were out of my mouth several elves came rushing over with a large ham and others followed with a bowl of potatoes. I think that Evans was speechless. I spotted with glee that the House Elves were making breakfast already. They started to put it out on the various tables, protected with freshness charms so that the food didn't get disgusting.  
  
"Is that the Slytherins' food?" I asked with a devilish grin. Evans looked at me strangely, but one of the House elves nodded. "Good, now, I happen to know that the Slytherins' like a special seasoning in their breakfast." I pulled out a small bottle out of my robes and sprinkled it on all of their food. Evans watched with an open mouth.  
  
"What did you put in their food?" Evans asked curiously.  
  
"Ichabod's Incredible Itching Potion. Tomorrow morning the Slytherin's will be squirming in their seats."  
  
I felt a tugging on my robes and looked down. It was one of the elves I had become friendly with during my many trips to the kitchens.  
  
"What happened to Miss Sonia Marks, Mr. James Potter, sir?"  
  
Evans who had been munching on a piece of ham almost spit it out. "Sonia Marks, the Ravenclaw? You brought her here?" She started to laugh. "Is that what you do to impress girls, Potter, bring them to the kitchens?"  
  
I was turning red. Evans is the only person I know who can make me turn red from embarrassment. "Don't get your hopes up, Evans. You're the last girl I would try to impress."  
  
"Likewise, I'm sure. Now let's get out of here."  
  
We made it back to the Gryffindor common room without getting caught. I took the cloak off of us and we started to walk up to our dorms. I turned to look at Evans.  
  
"So, tutoring tomorrow?" I asked.  
  
She actually smiled! "You can use all of the help you can get, so I guess. Sure."  
  
I was so stunned that she had smiled at me that I found myself smiling at her! We stood that way for a minute before we came to our senses and ran into our respective rooms. I had expected that the other fellows would be asleep, but I guess it was too early. Sirius was reading a copy of _Manly Wizards and Their Motorbikes_, Remus was reading his Potions book, and Peter was snoring in his bed, his clothes still on. He woke up when I came in.  
  
Then they all attacked me at once.   
  
"So, how bad was it?" Remus queried.  
  
"Did you take her to the kitchens?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Did you learn anything?" Peter inquired.  
  
"Relax and I might tell you something," I said smugly. I lay down on my bed with my hands behind my head. My friends were all crowded around my bed. I was debating whether or not to, er, embellish the truth.  
  
"Well, you know that we started studying in the library, right?..."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
I'm not quite sure how I made it back to my room. What an afternoon! I couldn't believe how incompetent Potter is! Then he dragged me down to the kitchens. I really can't believe he's a Prefect, if that's what he does all the time, then no wonder he's had a million detentions!   
  
I hate to admit it, even in the pages of this very secret diary, but when Potter smiled at me I felt my heart flutter. He does have an amazing smile. What am I saying? Oh, no. I can't think Potter's cute, I just can't! But Claudia did say you can think that a boy is cute and still not like him. It's his personality that I don't like. Yes, that'll do. He's cute, but a prat. He's just so rude!I feel much better having gotten that off my chest.   
  
My friends were waiting for me when I returned.  
  
"Was it terrible?" Megan wanted to know.  
  
"Is James really bad in Charms?" Claudia asked.  
  
"You shouldn't have been so late. You're lucky that you weren't caught." That was from Stacey, of course.  
  
"It wasn't so terrible," I admitted. "But it was really dull. Potter is really bad in Charms. It took him all day to execute a half-way decent Summoning charm!"  
  
"We're not all perfect in Charms, Scarlet," Claudia said with a smile.  
  
"Enough about James," Megan said dismissively. "Are we pulling the prank or not?"  
  
"Of course we are," I said excitedly. "Did you get them?"  
  
"Yes, but I had a hard time explaining to my father why I needed a couple dozen enchanted eggs. I had to tell him we were taking a Magical Cooking class. Now he expects me to know how to make chicken!"  
  
"Don't worry, Meg," I said as soon as I stopped laughing, "I can teach you to make chicken if you really want to learn, but now we have more important things to do. Follow me, ladies."  
  
Claudia and Megan came with me, but Stacey stayed behind, like always. We have an arrangement. She doesn't tell about our practical jokes, and we don't tell the entire school that Stacey has a crush on Jonathan Bones, the Head Boy and a Hufflepuff. I thought it was kind of sweet and one of the few human emotions I've seen Stacey express.  
  
Anyway, my two best friends and I snuck out of bed and down into the common room where we checked to make sure that we had everything. Then we threw on the invisibility cloak that Megan had just bought. That's right, Megan has an invisibility cloak. That's why I was so surprised when Potter threw on his. I thought he had stolen it from my friend!   
  
We carefully made it down to the Great Hall. It was completely empty which was all the better for us. Then we set up the joke. It was genius. Over each Slytherin's seat we charmed an egg to hover above their heads. Then we made them invisible. Once a Slytherin sat down the egg would crack, oozing the yolk over their heads. On top of that these were enchanted eggs so the yolk were different colors and would dye the Slytherins' hair colors. Then we left after making sure that we had left no evidence behind. I had the best night's sleep I had had in a long time.  
  
When we woke the next morning, Claudia, Megan, and I couldn't wait to go down for breakfast. We practically ran down the stairs. It was just as glorious as I had imagined it, in fact, it was better because I had forgotten about the itching potion that Potter had added. It was chaos at the Slytherin table. They were sticky, gooey, itchy messes, and every single one had pink, purple, blue, or green hair. I thought it was an improvement.  
  
Though Dumbledore looked like he was trying not to laugh, he had to be stern.  
  
"Every member of the Slytherin House who has been, er, pranked, please wait in the entry hall and we will attend to you shortly." The Slytherins all filed out looking distinctly grumpy, and Dumbledore turned his attention to the rest of the school. "I do not know who is responsible for this practical joke, and though we all find it amusing, I cannot allow it to happen again. A few Inter-house pranks are permissible, but something of this magnitude means it has gotten out of hand." His eyes quickly glanced over at the Gryffindor table, first looking at Potter and friends, and then his glance fell on me. I tried to look innocent. "Please continue with breakfast."  
  
Of course everyone started talking about it. Potter and his friends were whispering urgently, trying to figure out who else had pulled a prank on the Slytherins. Claudia, Megan, and I said nothing, but I was grinning inside. That'll teach Snape to call me a Mudblood!  
  
I was about to excuse myself from the table when Potter's friend Black called to me.  
  
"Hey, Lily, is it true that you chatted up Jamsie yesterday?"  
  
All eyes were on me. I could feel them. I was absolutely furious. "Who ever told you that, Black?"  
  
He pointed. "James did."  
  
I was enraged to boiling point. Just when I was starting to let go of my animosity towards him, he goes and does this!  
  
"Potter, I hope you have life insurance because you are so dead! You bastard!"  
  
I stormed out of the Great Hall. How dare he? All I did was tutor him yesterday. Well, he can just forget my help from now on, I hope he fails Charms. Why do males make life so difficult?  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sirius turned towards me. "I take it you made all of that up."  
  
I rolled my eyes. I can do it almost as well as Evans. "Of course I was making it up! You idiot! Why on earth did you say that! Now she hates me more than ever!"  
  
Sirius shrugged. "But you don't like her either, so I don't see why it matters."  
  
I couldn't explain it, not even to my best friend, but it did bother me somehow. I hadn't meant for Evans to hear that. I didn't like her, but I don't know, I didn't want to embarrass her like that.   
  
Oh great. Now I have to figure out someway of apologizing. Why do females make life so difficult?  
  
A/N: just a few thank yous to those kind people who have already reviewed:  
  
Bad Gurl: thanks, but why the tut, tut?  
O'Haragal: i'm glad you think so  
Riauna: I'm so glad.  
Sarah: hey two reviews from you, thanks a bunch!  
Starlight Eve: thank you so very much, I will continue!  
  
  



	5. The Letter That Changed My Life

Disclaimer: I don't own any thing that J.K. Rowling wrote. Imagine that.  
  
A/N: Sorry it took so long to post again. This chapter's kind of short, shorter than the last one anyway, but I wanted to have something to post. This will probably be it for a while, but keep checking, I will update again!  
  
For all you non British people, according to my British—American dictionary, to chat up is the British expression for to come on to. I'm American (and darn proud of it!) but I wanted my stories to sound authentic so I hope that was the right expression.  
  
Don't forget to REVIEW!!! Reviews are very important to me!  
  
  
Chapter 5: The Letter That Changed My Life  
  
I can't believe that Potter would do such a thing! The pranks we play on one another are one thing, but to say I chatted him up is something else entirely. What nerve. I hate him, and he knows that perfectly well. I would never develop a crush on him. Ever.  
  
I tried to speak to Professor Flitwick today. I told him that I can't tutor Potter anymore. He didn't even hear me! He just looked at me and said, "Miss Evans, it is a wonderful thing that you are doing for Mr. Potter! I'm sure that this will improve your chances of becoming Head Girl."  
  
What could I say to that? I want to be Head Girl very much. It's even worth tutoring Potter.   
  
"Lily, come on!"   
  
That was Megan calling me. She and I were supposed to finish our Divination homework while Claudia went to Quidditch practice. I told Claud to knock Potter off of his broom for me. I doubt she will, though. Between you and me, I think Claudia fancies Potter a bit. Isn't that disgusting?  
  
"I'm coming, Meg!" I called back.  
  
I walked down the stairs and over to the table Megan had reserved. She was pouring over some star charts and she was chewing on the eraser of her pencil. As I approached, Meg looked up and made a face.  
  
"I hate this stuff!" she shouted. A few second years turned in her direction and she stuck her tongue out at them. I tried to cover a laugh. "Professor Trelawney is a proper old bat! This is absolute rubbish!"  
  
"I would think that you'd like Divination, Megs. After all, it's abstract, it's creative. Like your art."  
  
Megan snorted. "This is nothing like my art. Although I did make a nice pencil drawing among the stars."  
  
I peeked at her star chart. She had drawn in some of the constellations. "I think according to this, you're going to fail Divination."  
  
Megan laughed. "I'd say that's an accurate prediction. Come on, we have to finish our star charts. I think that I'm going to develop a cold. What about you?"  
  
"I thought that we were going to try to do this assignment accurately this time. We always make up our Divination homework!"  
  
"That's what makes it fun! What if you break a leg? Ooh, or you can lose a bet!"  
  
I started laughing again. "Fine, let's just get this over with."  
  
We worked on the assignment for another hour. Then as I threw my quill down, Megan asked me a surprising question.   
  
"Are you tutoring James this afternoon?"  
  
"Are you barmy? After what he said about me? Well, I certainly don't want to, but Professor Flitwick says I have to."  
  
"He can't make you do anything you don't want to, you're a volunteer."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose. I'm bored. Let's do something!" I complained.  
  
"Want to visit Hagrid?"  
  
"Sure, why not?"  
  
So we walked down to Hagrid's hut. As we passed the Quidditch pitch we waved to Claudia, who was still practicing. Potter seemed very distracted. Then we made it to Hagrid's, who was very glad to see us. We've been friends with Hagrid for ages. He's another fan of Megan's work, in fact he has a piece of hers. She made him a sculpture of a dragon for his last birthday. It's so brilliant, the eyes flash orange, smoke wafts out of it's nostrils, and the wings flap up and down. Hagrid loves it because he's always wanted a dragon. Too bad that owning a dragon was outlawed.   
  
Hagrid made us tea and treacle fudge. The tea was fine, but the fudge was simply dangerous. Hagrid has absolutely no idea how to cook, but he likes to think he does, so Megan and I try not to hurt his feelings.   
  
"So how's school goin', yeh two?" Hagrid asked.  
  
"Terrific as usual, Hagrid," I replied with a grin.  
  
"She's lying, Hagrid," Megan said giving me a look. "Some of the classes are just impossible! Divination is a nightmare, and Potions, don't get me started on Potions."  
  
"Ah, I'm sure that yer just, er, exaggeratin'. Professor Trelawney's an unusual teacher, but she's no nightmare. And all Gryffindor's have trouble in Potions. It's just how it is."  
  
"I guess you're right," Megan said with a sigh.   
  
"So where's Claudia?" Hagrid asked.  
  
"Quidditch practice, where else? Patrice is making them practice more than ever," I said. Then I surreptitiously glanced at my watch and did a double take.   
  
"Oh, bloody hell," I muttered and then realized that Megan and Hagrid were watching me. "Oops, sorry. I think I'm supposed to tutor Potter now."  
  
Hagrid shook his head. "Yeh know, Lily, if ye'd just give James a chance, yeh might end up likin' him."  
  
"I don't think so, Hagrid, but thanks anyway. Meg, I'll see you later."  
  
Then I ran back up to the castle. I wanted to be Head Girl and if that meant that I had to make James Potter learn how to perform a proper Summoning Charm then so be it. But he was going to have to apologize to me first.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Evans, I'm sorry. No, that won't work. I just can't apologize to her! She'd take it the wrong way, or the fellows would see me and I'd never live it down. I guess since she hates me anyway, it won't matter if I don't apologize.   
  
"Potter! Your concentration is shot to hell! What's the matter with you?" Patrice called to me from her broomstick.  
  
I forgot, we were still at practice. Evans' friend Claudia was giving me funny looks, but that was nothing compared to the looks the other players were giving me.  
  
"Sorry, Patrice, my mind wasn't on the game."  
  
Patrice shook her head. "Look, we've been working hard, and we're all tired, so I'll cut practice off here. Go back to the castle and get some rest, okay, Potter?"  
  
I nodded. That's probably all I needed was some rest and an Exploding Bon Bon. I was about to lock my Nimbus in the shed when Sirius came running toward me.  
  
"James! Professor Dumbledore needs to talk to you!"  
  
"Did he say what it was about?" I asked curiously.  
  
"No, just that he wanted to talk to you. You'd better hurry, it sounded important. Oh, and he said the password was Jelly Slugs."  
  
"Thanks, Padfoot," I called as I ran back to the castle. I finally reached the gargoyle that stood in front of Dumbledore's office. "Jelly Slugs!"  
  
I ran up the spiral staircase and pushed open the doors. Dumbledore was sitting behind his claw footed desk and before him, to my surprise, sat my younger sister Katherine.  
  
"What's going on?" I asked slowly. "What's wrong?"  
  
"James, please sit down. I'm afraid that I have some terrible news." Dumbledore paused, his blue eyes clearly troubled. "Perhaps this letter can explain it better than I can. There is one for each of you."  
  
Once I recovered I managed to copy down the letter into this journal. It's message was more terrible then I could have ever imagined and it was in that moment that my life was turned upside down.  
  
_Dear Mr. Potter,  
  
We are sorry to report this to you in a letter. He Who Shall Not Be Named has committed another murder. Your parents, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Potter, are dead. We are terribly sorry for your loss. Beginning this summer, you and your sister will be in the custody of another wizarding family. We wish you the best of luck and hope that you recover in due time.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Lorena Davies  
Assistant to the Minister of Magic_  
  
I was stunned. I was in complete shock. I was devastated. I looked up at Professor Dumbledore, searching for confirmation on this horrible news. He nodded briefly and Katherine burst into tears. I couldn't cry, I couldn't even say anything. I just put my arm around her and let her cry into my shoulder.  
  
"I am so very sorry. I don't know what to say to make you feel better. Unfortunately, your parents were neither the first, nor will they be the last, to die at Voldemort's hands."  
  
I found my voice and the first thing I said sounded so daft. "I hadn't realized it had gotten so bad. I don't understand, I thought he only killed muggles and muggleborns! My parents are, were, purebloods!"  
  
Dumbledore looked me straight in the eyes. "You can be very proud of your parents, James and Katherine, they died fighting Lord Voldemort and saved many people's lives."  
  
"That won't bring them back, will it?" I said shortly. My arm still around Kat's shoulders, we walked out of Dumbledore's office and back to the Gryffindor common room. Kat was sobbing, but I was still too stunned to cry. My parents were dead. I didn't understand, how could this happen?  
  
I guided Kat over to one of the squashy armchairs and just let her cry. Sirius, Remus, and Peter came in a little while later.  
  
"Prongs! What's wrong? Did those dirty Slytherins tease Kat again?" Sirius asked concernedly.  
  
My sister is kind of the Marauders mascot. It's more like she has four older brothers instead of just one.  
  
"No," I said shortly. "We just received a letter. Our parents have been murdered."  
  
My three friends didn't know what to say, and I honestly can't blame them. I wasn't sure I wanted them to say anything. Remus spoke first, he's always been the most sensitive.  
  
"Voldemort? Oh, James, we're so sorry."  
  
"I don't want to talk to anyone right now. I'm going up to our dorm. If Patrice comes looking for me tell her to go away."  
  
"Are you sure you don't want any company, James?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. Kat, do you want to find your friends or—" I didn't finish the sentence, because a group of Kat's friends descended around her and took her away, still sobbing. I started to walk up the stairs when Evans burst into the common room. She looked around wildly and stopped when she saw me.  
  
"There you are, Potter! Let's go, you're going to learn Charms, or so help me!"  
  
I lost it. Looking back, I realize I shouldn't have said the things I said to anybody, even Evans. But I had just found out that I would never see my parents again, and I was on edge.  
  
"Look Evans, Charms is the last thing I ever want to do and you are the last person I ever want to see! Stay the hell away from me! Just sod off!"  
  
Then I ran up to my room, threw myself on the bed, and started to cry.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
I ran into the common room looking for Potter. He hadn't been anywhere else I looked, so I assumed he had to be here.  
  
He was. I didn't say anything that was different then what I usually say, but he was completely offended and told me to sod off! I can't believe he was being such a prick. After all, I was still trying to help him, even after what he said about me, and he has the nerve to tell me to sod off? Then Remus enlightened me and I felt terrible.  
  
Remus looked at me, almost with pity. "Lily, you don't know what James is going through right now! He just found out that his parents have been murdered."  
  
I clapped a hand to my mouth. "Oh, no! What have I done?"  
  
"It's not so bad, Evans," Sirius said, looking at me with alarm. "It's not like you're best friends. He's used to you being insensitive."  
  
"You don't understand, Black!"  
  
I ran up the stairs to the dormitories. I was going to go to my room, but then I changed my mind and pushed open the door to Potter's dormitory.  
  
"Potter?" I said quietly.  
  
"Evans, what part of 'sod off' don't you understand? I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to talk to anyone, but especially you."  
  
I moved closer anyway. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."  
  
He shrugged. His back was still to me when he responded. "Does it matter? You don't have to be nice to me just because my parents died. We don't like each other, remember? If it matters to you so much, I forgive you."  
  
"I'm still sorry. Your friends don't understand, do they?"  
  
"What are you on about, Evans?"  
  
"None of them have lost their parents, have they?" I asked gently.  
  
"No. All I have left is Kat. I feel bad for her too. She needs her parents, she's so young."  
  
"Your little sister, right?"  
  
Potter nodded. "Yeah. You know, you're right, Evans. The Marauders can't understand. They haven't been through this. Wait, what is this? Why are you being nice to me? I don't need your pity."  
  
I ignored him. I was about to tell my enemy something I had only told my best friends. But I figured he should know.  
  
"Do you remember that week last year when I told you that if you even spoke to me, I would kill you?"  
  
"Yes. Wait, are you saying that your parents—"  
  
"Were murdered, yes, by Voldemort. My sister survived too. Except that I hate my sister, almost as much as I hate you, Potter."  
  
That got a smile out of him. My heart fluttered again, but I pushed it away.   
  
"Isn't ironic," Potter said quietly, "that my enemy is the only one who understands?"  
  
"I know that we don't like each other, Potter, but I do understand."  
  
Potter seemed to be thinking about something. Finally he turned and looked at me.  
  
"I still don't like you, you know. But," he hesitated as though what he had to say was very painful, "thank you for understanding. And, Evans? I'm sorry about what I told Sirius. I was only joking."  
  
"It doesn't matter now. Forget it." I started to walk out of the room.  
  
"So, are you going to continue to tutor me?"  
  
I turned back in surprise. "You still want me to tutor you? Don't you need time to, er, mourn."  
  
"I will, but I also don't want to fail Charms."  
  
"Okay. I'll tutor you. Goodbye, Potter."  
  
I walked into my room. What had just happened? I was comforting my worst enemy! We had an actual nice moment! And for some reason, I can't quite explain it, when Potter told me he still didn't like me I felt, well, disappointed. It only lasted for a fleeting second, but it was still strange. I didn't like feelings like that, they confused me.  
  
Oh, hell, it's still Potter, great smile or not. He's the same stuck up prat, with or without parents. The one I really felt sorry for now was his little sister.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Evans actually made me feel a tiny bit better. Who could have imagined that? My worst enemy could help me when my best friends could not. But it didn't make us friends or anything. I still didn't like her. Right?  
  
Professor Dumbledore excused me from all of my classes for two days, but for some reason I went to Divination anyway. I can't imagine why since I hate Professor Trelawney and she was sure to make up some ridiculous claim like she foresaw my parents' deaths. However, I felt like I needed a distraction. So I got off of my bed and went down into the common room. That's when I was ambushed.   
  
Well, not exactly, it was only Sirius, but it felt like an ambush because he put a lot of enthusiasm into it. I was in no mood for games.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be in class, Padfoot?" I asked irritably. "I was just on my way to Divination.  
  
"We're not going to Divination," Sirius said cheerfully. "Come on. Moony and Wormtail aren't coming so it's just the two of us. You know that Moony would never miss a class even if you were dying," Wrong word, "and Wormtail can't afford to miss a class."  
  
Despite my depression I was mildly curious. I agreed to go with him, and he led me to the kitchens. Pretty much the last place I wanted to be, though I was hungry.  
  
"The kitchens, Padfoot? I'm not some daft girl you're trying to impress. Why are we here?"  
  
"Simple. You need to eat and I wanted to go somewhere where we could talk undisturbed. The House Elves won't pay any attention to us. Come on."  
  
He reached out and grabbed the pear/handle and pulled the door open. We stepped inside and were set upon by the friendly House Elves. Sirius ordered us some pastries and pumpkin juice, before he got to the point.  
  
"So, how are you?"  
  
I looked at him scornfully. "That is quite possibly the stupidest question you have ever asked me."  
  
Sirius shrugged. "Yeah, but it had to be asked."  
  
I shook my head. "You are very strange, Sirius."  
  
"Talk to me, James, tell me what's wrong."  
  
"I can't!" I said with frustration. "You just wouldn't understand."  
  
Sirius looked like he didn't believe that. "I'm your best friend, Prongs. If you can't tell me, who can you tell?"  
  
I thought about it. Then I smiled. "Lily Evans."  
  
Sirius started laughing hysterically, frightening the House Elves so that they dropped a cake on the floor.  
  
"Evans?" he gasped, wiping tears from his eyes. "That's very funny, Prongs! Now seriously, you better not have talked to Remus about this and not me, because that's not fair."  
  
I smiled weakly. "No, I haven't talked to Remus. I haven't talked to anybody," I lied.  
  
"Good. But speaking of Evans, do you fancy her?"  
  
I spit out my pumpkin juice. "What?! Are you batty? I hate Lily Evans! Fancy her? Never!"  
  
Sirius smiled knowingly. "Uh huh, sure."  
  
I glared at him, but he just kept smiling. "So who's your crush of the day, Padfoot?"  
  
For some reason, instead of replying promptly with the name of some Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw like he usually did, Sirius turned red and refused to look at me.  
  
"Uh, no one today," he said quickly, but I wasn't convinced.  
  
"Come on, Sirius, I tell you about all of the girls I like! This is big, I can tell. Who is it?"  
  
But Sirius shut his mouth tight and shook his head. "I can't tell you. I–I–I just can't!"  
  
I was baffled by my friend's strange behavior, but the discussion served to take my mind off of my parents. "It's not a Slytherin, is it?"  
  
Sirius looked horrified. "Now you're the one who's lost it! That is a thoroughly revolting thought."  
  
I was about to say something when the door to the kitchens creaked open again. We didn't have time to throw the cloak over ourselves and we were sitting on the floor surrounded by pastries and drinks. It wouldn't look good if the person who entered was a teacher.  
  
Just our luck, it wasn't just a teacher, it was McGonagall. She came in and stopped short when she saw us sitting there. I saw all of the signs of her anger, and was preparing myself for the shouting that was sure to come.  
  
"Potter, Black," she said when she managed to speak; she seemed like she was choking on her fury, "what in the name of Hogwarts do you think you're doing here? You're supposed to be in class!"  
  
I winced. I had forgotten about Divination. I looked at Sirius and saw that he had frozen completely. Sirius isn't afraid of much, but most smart people are afraid of McGonagall when she's angry.  
  
"I'm sorry, Professor, but Professor Dumbledore excused me from classes today and I missed lunch. I was hungry."  
  
I saw her expression soften slightly; Professor McGonagall had known my mother at school, they had been friends.  
  
"I can accept that, Mr. Potter, but that doesn't explain why Mr. Black is here."  
  
Before Sirius could make some ridiculous excuse, I spoke. "It's just that I really needed a friend today, Professor. Sirius was just comforting me."  
  
I thought I saw a tear come to Professor McGonagall's eye. She nodded. "Alright, I won't punish you this time. But go back to your common room and stay there today. I don't ever want to catch you in the kitchens again."  
  
I nodded. I also noticed she only said she didn't want to catch us in the kitchens, not that we couldn't come back.  
  
Sirius and I walked back to the common room and tried to play a game of chess. Remus is the best chess player in Gryffindor, but Sirius and I aren't too bad. My mind wasn't on the game. I was depressed and unhappy, but strangely enough my thoughts weren't on my parents or even my sister.   
  
They were on Lily Evans.  
  
  
A/N: Thank yous to those who have reviewed so far:  
  
**~*Crystal Lily*~**: I'm sorry this wasn't soon, but I hope you enjoyed!  
**AngelsChains124**: thanks so very much, I'm glad you like it  
**Katherine Bell**: yes eventually they'll get together, but it can't happen too soon or I lose my story.  
**Obscurity Personified**: thanks, I liked the egg trick too. I'm glad it's funny, but I can't promise it always will be  
**Priya-chan**: I don't think James is a prat, he's just James. He's the way a lot of guys act at my school. Wait, maybe he is a prat!  
**Reine Dansante**: wow, thanks for reviewing after every chapter, I'm glad that you're so into my story. I do try.  
  
Okay, let's work on many more reviews for this chapter!  



	6. "How Dare You Kiss Me!"

Disclaimer: I own everything because I am God. Worship me. (At a respectable distance)  
  
A/N: I'm sorry this chapter took so long to post, I was drawing a complete blank. Obscurity Personified, thanks for your persistence in getting me to write this chapter. If it wasn't for you I might have given up.   
  
I know, Halloween Masquerades are very overdone, but I couldn't resist. I promise that I won't have a chapter where Lily and James (in disguise so their identities are unknown) meet at the dance and fall in love without knowing the other is their worst enemy. Now, that's overdone! I just wanted to have a costume ball. I've already planned how they get together.  
  
Chapter 6: "How Dare You Kiss Me!"  
  
I should feel properly ashamed, it's been weeks since I've written! But nothing of interest has occurred and I've been very busy with school. Still that's no excuse. Claudia told me not to worry about it, but I can't help it! I feel guilty. Oh well.  
  
Let's see, what have I been up to in the past few weeks? Well, I've been tutoring Potter a lot; I'm beginning to think he's a lost cause. In the beginning I was patient with him because his parents had just died, but that was over a month ago already! He still can't charm a lemon to do flips. That's so simple! Potter just doesn't concentrate! Oh well, I have to keep tutoring him until something penetrates his thick skull. Eventually it'll happen, I'm sure.  
  
Oh, guess what? Remus told me he likes Megan! Isn't that terrific? He's going to ask her to the Masquerade ball coming up on Halloween and I just know she'll say yes. Aww, my friends are going to go on a date! I don't know who I'll go with yet, I suppose it depends on who asks me.   
  
"Lily! Come on! Don't make me come up there!"  
  
Claudia was calling me from the stairs so I hurried and put on my cloak before running down. It was a Hogsmeade trip today and Claudia, Megan, and I were going to look for our costumes. Stacey said she might join us later.  
  
Claudia was practically bursting with impatience. "Come on, Lily, I want to get a good costume!"   
  
"Who are you going with, Claud?" Megan asked curiously as we started walking to Hogsmeade.  
  
Claudia shrugged. "Nobody, as of right now. You?"  
  
Megan blushed furiously. "I don't know. You know that I'd like to go with Remus, but I'm not sure he'll ask me." I smiled mischievously. "What about you, Scarlet?"  
  
I shrugged. "I'm with Claudia. No one yet, but we have time. We have to pick out the perfect costumes. What are you going as?"  
  
"I'll design my costume, but I need the materials. I think I'll go as a butterfly this year. I need to make some wings. What about you Claudia?" Megan asked.  
  
"I wanted to go as a muggle, but Professor McGonagall said we have to dress up. What do you think I should be?"  
  
Claudia has the most beautiful hair I have ever seen, it's really golden with red highlights, and her eyes are the most fascinating assortment of colors. She doesn't see herself as beautiful and doesn't try to fix her appearance in any way, so a lot of boys don't notice.   
  
"You could be Sleeping Beauty," I suggested, but Claudia made a face. "Or, you could be something simple, like a doctor."  
  
"Nah," Claudia said. "I want to go as the Harpy Seeker Glynnis Griffiths."  
  
Now I made a face. "Come on, Claud. Dare to be different. You went as a Quidditch player last year."  
  
"What are you going to be?" Claudia asked defensively. I thought about it.   
  
"I think I'll go as a genie. That way I can use magic."  
  
Megan laughed. "You do know that muggles have got it completely wrong, don't you?"  
  
I was confused. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, I've seen what they call genies. It's like what muggles call gnomes. Poor things spread these corrupt images of what they consider magic to be. Anyway, real genies are very rare. Generally they don't live in lamps, though a few do to be contrary. Most live in condominiums and look like normal human beings. A genie, technically, is an enslaved witch or wizard. If a muggle, or for that matter a witch or wizard though that's less common, saves the life of a genie, then the genie is indebted to them for the rest of the muggle's life. The muggle gets as many wishes as they want, none of this three wish business, and once the muggle dies the genie is free again. That's the main difference between magical folk like us and genies; they live forever, but can be enslaved, where as we have only a slightly longer than average life span."  
  
"Wow," I said, impressed. "Where did you learn so much about genies?"  
  
"I had a muggle friend who caught a genie once. But I made her set him free," Megan replied. "So, still want to be a genie?"  
  
"Not really, but I don't know what to be now," I said glumly.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Claudia said. "Look, we're here, there's bound to be a shop where we can get costumes."  
  
While we talked, our feet led us to Hogsmeade. Our first step was Robes and Such, the clothing store. It took us ages, but eventually Claudia and I found the perfect costumes. Megan was still going with her original plan so while we paid for our purchases she went to look for the right materials.  
  
Claudia decided to go as Joan of Arc who was burned at the stake as a witch in 1431. According to old Professor Binns, she really was a witch and she didn't actually die then. She pretended to be burned (using a Flame Freezing charm no doubt) and then Disapparated. She lived out the rest of her days as a farmer's wife in Spain. I think it's a neat costume and Claud likes it because she gets to carry a sword.  
  
I really needed a costume that Potter wouldn't make fun of. At the last costume ball we had I went as an angel and Potter wouldn't leave me alone about it. But this time I think I found the perfect costume. It was really quite brilliant if I do say so myself, I knew Megan was proud of me. See, I wanted to go as Rowena Ravenclaw, but my coloring was all wrong, so I thought I'd be Helga Hufflepuff instead. But then I felt like that would be disrespectful to my own house, so I wasn't sure what to do. I couldn't be Godric Gryffindor! So I decided to be Hogwarts. I would wear a tunic that had the Hogwarts crest on it, and yes that included Slytherin. As much as I hated them, it would serve to make my identity anonymous. After all that was the point of a masquerade, to be masked. My mask would be a simple half mask with a badger, snake, lion, and eagle painted on. Megan promised to help me with it. Underneath the tunic I'd just wear hose, most likely in purple. My hair is rather a give away so I'd have to charm it to be a different color. No one would have a clue who I was.  
  
Once we bought our costumes, Claudia and I went looking for Megan. Instead we were waylaid by Potter and Black. They were carrying bags from the new joke shop, Zonko's, and were whispering excitedly to each other. When they caught sight of us they stopped dead in their tracks.  
  
"Oh, look, Padfoot," Potter began with a devilish grin, "if it isn't my tutor and my teammate. Buying their costumes perhaps?"  
  
"Leave us alone, Potter," I said frostily.   
  
"Why?" He asked with that same infuriating smile. "What did you buy?"  
  
He tried to look in my bag but I pulled it away. "Get out of there, Potter. What I bought is none of your business."  
  
"Just curious. No need to get so defensive, Evans. Are you getting sick of tutoring me yet? Because I could use some help before Friday's exam."  
  
"I'll think about it. Now, just leave us alone, we're looking for Megan." Was it my imagination or did Black turn slightly red when I said that?  
  
"Oh, well, last time I saw her, she was over there," he pointed.   
  
"Thanks," I said coldly and stalked off with Claudia running to catch up. I swear, I thought that by tutoring Potter there was a chance we could get on better terms. When his parents died, I was sympathetic and I thought he appreciated it. Now here it is, a month later, and he's still being a prat. Some people never change.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sirius and I had just bought our weekly supply of practical jokes from Zonko's (we had a super one to play on Snape) when we ran into Evans and Claudia. It looked like they had just come from Robes and Such and I surmised that they had just bought their costumes. Naturally, I was curious, but Evans acted like the stuck up snob she is and brushed me off.  
  
Sirius and I walked away and headed for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. It wasn't until we had placed our order with Madam Rosmerta that I noticed Sirius was uncharacteristically silent.  
  
"Hey, Padfoot, what's wrong? You're so quiet."  
  
Sirius looked up, startled. He stared at me for a moment, as though he wasn't sure he was really seeing me. We were in a booth tucked away in the back and Sirius looked around wildly for a moment.  
  
"I'll tell you, Prongs, but you have to promise you won't tell anyone else. Including Moony and Wormtail."  
  
I knew it was serious. The Marauders shared everything, if there was something that Sirius couldn't tell Remus or Peter then it wasn't going to be good news.  
  
"I promise," I said resolutely.  
  
Sirius looked around a few more times before he spoke in a low whisper. "I think..." Then he hesitated. I was waiting impatiently. "Er, um, I think that Professor Herlinger is retiring at the end of this term."  
  
Professor Herlinger is our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and he's very old. "That's it?" I asked incredulously. "That's the big secret?"  
  
"Um, yes," Sirius said, but he avoided my gaze. Then I realized that whatever Sirius' secret was it was so terrible he couldn't even tell me. I didn't press him about it, though I really wanted to. I knew that he'd tell me when he was ready.  
  
"Alright, Padfoot. Let's head back to school, we should set up our prank."  
  
Sirius nodded and we started walking. I wasn't thinking about anything in particular, but for some reason my mind wandered to the masquerade.  
  
"Padfoot, what are you going to dress up as for the Halloween Ball?"  
  
Sirius shrugged. "I don't know. What about you?"  
  
"I haven't thought about it. We don't have much time left, do we?"  
  
"No, we better hurry up and think of something. Look, there's Remus!"  
  
Remus ran over to us. He looked very excited about something.  
  
"I did it! I asked Megan out! We're going to the ball together!"  
  
I was very happy for my friend. He had liked Megan for a long time, but never said anything about it. In the beginning of the school year all of the Marauders made resolutions; his was to be more daring. Mine was to be nicer to Evans; you can see how well that's working.  
  
"Congratulations, Remus!" I said warmly. Sirius didn't say anything.  
  
"And she said yes! This is going to be the best ball ever." Remus looked so happy I thought he would explode. Luckily he didn't and we made it back to the castle in one piece.  
  
We would have stayed in one piece, too, if we hadn't run into Evans and her friends again. We were wandering one of the many deserted corridors, one of the ones where few people went.  
  
"Are you following us, Potter?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"Of course not," I retorted hotly. "We go to the same school and are in the same house! This is the way to the common room, it's not our fault that we have to go the same way."  
  
"So what's your costume going to be, James?" Claudia asked nicely, holding Evans back. I noticed that Megan smiled coyly at Moony who turned red.  
  
"I can't tell you," I replied. "It's supposed to be a secret."  
  
"It was very nice to run into you girls, but we really should be going," Sirius said quickly. He was right, we had a prank to plan.  
  
Now everything would have been just fine if we left right then. We had been alone in the hallway, but suddenly a bunch of third years ran past us and one of them bumped into me. I fell and to my terrible luck I fell on Evans. And that's not the worst part, I tore her robe too.  
  
She was furious. "Damn it, Potter! What the hell did you do?"  
  
Then she cursed me. "Wingardium Leviosa!"  
  
I flew up into the air. Then she whipped me around and around until I was so dizzy that I thought I'd vomit. Through clenched teeth I managed to say something,   
  
"Put me down, Evans! Twenty points from Gryffindor!"  
  
I heard Sirius gasp. I had never used my Prefect status against a fellow Gryffindor before, not even when they deserved it. Evans' eyes narrowed and she let me drop. I would have broken my skull if Remus hadn't whipped out his wand and saved me. As it was I was badly bruised and I was scowling when I stood up. But Evans and her friends had already left.  
  
"I hate that girl!" I shouted furiously. "She could have killed me! Where's Filch when you need him?"  
  
Sirius was staring at me in shock. "James, you took points away from Gryffindor!"  
  
"Yes I did," I said angrily. "Padfoot, she almost killed me! All I did was trip on her and rip her robe! It was an accident."  
  
"Prongs, I'm not condoning what Lily did," Remus started, "but she's always had a terrible temper and the important thing is that she didn't hurt you."  
  
"Except my pride," I muttered. "Fine, for saving my life, Remus, I hereby award Gryffindor twenty points. But I still hate her and I'm going to get revenge."  
  
Remus sighed and we started walking. "You always do, Prongs."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I hate him!" I screamed. "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!"  
  
"Who?" Megan asked innocently. "Whoever could you be talking about?"  
  
I made a face at her. "You know exactly who I'm talking about. Potter! He ripped brand new robes! Then he took twenty points from Gryffindor!"  
  
"But he did give them back," Claudia pointed out. "Sirius told me. So there's no lasting damage."  
  
We were back up in our room. Megan was painting her wings, Claudia was reading a book, and Stacey was doing her homework. I was pacing and ranting. I know I should have just calmed down, but it was so hard and I was so mad!  
  
"Now he can just forget my help. I refuse to help him in Charms. You can do it, Stace."  
  
Stacey shook her head. "No way. I refuse to help him. Besides, you made an agreement, Lily, you said you'd tutor him."  
  
"But I don't want to!" I whined. Then I stopped and laughed. I knew I sounded childish. "Sorry, everyone. I know when I get on the topic of Potter, I tend to get, er, immature."  
  
"It's okay, Scarlet," Claudia said, not taking her eyes from her book, In Which We Flew by Sky Soaring. "We know that you aren't rational when it comes to James. We're used to it. Now, who do you want to go to the masquerade with?"  
  
I stopped my pacing. "What?"  
  
Megan grinned. "I think she asked you who you wanted to go to the ball with, Scarlet." She said the words like she was speaking to a toddler.  
  
"I know what she asked, Meg, I want to know why she asked it."  
  
"Because I'm curious. Are there any Ravenclaws that have caught your eye, Scarlet?" Claudia asked, pulling the hair out of her face as she turned the page.  
  
"No. I'll probably go by myself. What about you, Claud?"  
  
"Not yet. I wouldn't mind it if Dan Brown asked me though. He's a terrific Beater." Claudia went back to her book. I peered at her; not even a trace of a blush. Claudia is so secure with herself it's wonderful. "Stace, have you asked Jonathan Bones?"  
  
Stacey nearly fell off the bed. "What! Why would I do that?"  
  
"Because you like him," I replied cooly, sitting down on my bed. "Why not ask him?"  
  
"He's probably already asked someone else. Please don't mention it again or should I tell Professor McGonagall who turned her desk pink and carved 'Minnie and Peeves forever' on it?"  
  
"Point taken," Megan said. "Forget it. Scarlet, do you need help with your costume? My wings are done."  
  
They were beautiful, shimmery and sparkly. The colors swirled until you were dizzy. I shook my head, half to tell Megan 'no need' and half to wake myself up from the stupor Megan's wings had put me in.  
  
"No, I want to go set up a prank on Potter. I'll work on it later." I grabbed my satchel and left the room. Carefully and quietly I opened the door to the sixth year boys dorm. Perfect, it was empty. I slipped inside.  
  
Now this was one of my better pranks if I do say so myself. And of course, I do. I went right to Potter's bed and pulled back his sheets. Then I placed a teddy bear there with a bow around it's neck. There was also a tag which read, 'Dearest James (I nearly gagged just writing that), Please accept this gift from me to you. Love, your secret admirer' Even if Potter doesn't fall for it, though he probably will because Potter is so vain that he probably thinks that a million girls are in love with his stupid ugly self...where was I? Oh, right, so even if he doesn't fall for it, all he has to do is pick up the bear and suddenly he'll find himself with a terrible rash that will eventually turn him the color of rotting vegetables. Brilliant, no? Not to mention that for a solid hour after the first person touches it, anyone else who touches it will get the same affliction! I might get all of the Marauders at once.  
  
I didn't wait for him to come back, I just ran back to the relative safety of my room. I was supposed to tutor Potter later, but now I'd figured he'd cancel. At least until he could get rid of the rash. I threw myself down on my bed and started giggling. Stacey, Claudia, and Megan gave me funny looks but I ignored them. I couldn't wait to see Potter the Rotten Vegetable. About a half an hour later, I heard shrieks and screams from the boys dormitory. My friends all jumped and then immediately looked at me.  
  
"Okay, Scarlet, what did you do?" Megan asked.  
  
"What makes you think it was me?" I asked innocently.  
  
Claudia rolled her eyes. Suddenly the door burst open and one of the strangest sights I've ever seen met my eyes. It took me a moment to realize that the creature before me was Sirius Black.  
  
"Evans, what did you do to me?" he howled. Standing in the doorway behind him were Potter, Remus, and Pettigrew. They looked normal except for the laughter they were trying to contain.  
  
"What makes you think it was me?" I asked again, trying not to grin.  
  
"That thing," the teddy bear, I assumed, "was on James' bed! The only person who would try to pull a practical joke on him is you! I repeat, what did you do to me?"  
  
I was still trying not to laugh. Black looked so ridiculous; his skin was dark green and his hair was turning orange. "I didn't do anything to you, Black. I was aiming at Potter. It's not my fault you got in the way. Didn't your mum ever teach you that it's not nice to pick up your chum's presents?"  
  
I glanced quickly at Potter. He was grinning, our earlier argument forgotten—for the moment anyway. He had that smile that made my heart flutter, and it worked even now, even when I was angry at him.  
  
"What am I going to do?" Black said, panicking.   
  
"Don't worry, Padfoot," Potter interjected, "green's a good color on you."  
  
"You think so?" Black turned to look in our full-length mirror. His good humor returned and he laughed. "Maybe you're right."  
  
At that moment another uninvited guest arrived—Professor McGonagall. I was still trying not to laugh, but the look on her face when she saw Black was priceless. I wouldn't trade it for all the Galleons in the world.  
  
"Mr. Black, what in the name of Merlin, happened to you?" Professor McGonagall asked completely taken aback.  
  
Black thought for a moment before replying. "It was a teddy bear, ma'am."  
  
Her jaw dropped. "A what?"  
  
"A teddy bear. You know, a stuffed animal that resembles a bear of some sort. Oh, don't worry, Professor, I'm getting used to it. I think I'll stay this way for a while. Can't say I don't stand out, eh?"  
  
Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared. "You don't need green skin to stand out, Mr. Black." Then she waved her own wand over him and he slowly turned back to normal. Everyone was still laughing. "I think you had better dispose of that bear, Mr. Black."  
  
"Don't worry," I reassured her, "the spell will wear off the bear in less then an hour."  
  
She turned on me. "Miss Evans! Are you responsible for this?"  
  
Damn! How could I have made such a stupid mistake? "Well—er—that is—it wasn't—"  
  
She cut me off. "A detention, Miss Evans. As a prefect, you should know better."  
  
I bowed my head. "I'm sorry, Professor."  
  
She left. Potter and friends left soon after that. Before he exited the room, Potter sent a parting shot.  
  
"That was the best, Evans. I got to see Sirius green and you got detention. That bear was a super present, my darling secret admirer."  
  
I threw the first thing that came to hand at him; it turned out to be a pillow. It missed and he was already out into the hall. I screamed at him.  
  
"I am not your secret admirer! It was just a joke!"  
  
I thought I had gotten my point across, but he called back from the safety of his dorm. "Whatever you say, Lilian my sweet!"  
  
I turned back to my friends. "Ooh, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!" I took a few calming breaths and looked at my friends. "Have I mentioned that I hate him?"  
  
They exchanged a glance and sighed collectively. Claudia returned to her book now that the excitement had passed and answered my rhetorical question. "Yes, Scarlet, just once or twice."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
That made my day. Suddenly I felt a lot better and even risked a trip to the kitchens. The House Elves were only too glad to give me a few eclairs.  
  
It took a lot of begging to get Evans to tutor me that evening. I wouldn't have asked, but I was desperate. We have a Charms exam tomorrow and as usual I'm unprepared. Eventually after much pleading and bribing, she agreed and once again, I found myself alone in the library with Evans. We sat next to each other at one of the tables in the back. She wasn't very happy to be there.  
  
"Concentrate! How many times do I have to tell you to concentrate?" she shouted for the fiftieth time. I was keeping track.  
  
"Shut it, Evans, alright? I heard you the first time!"  
  
"Then why aren't you listening?" she retorted. Then she sighed and placed her head in her hands. "You're hopeless. Okay, this is what we're going to do. See this book?" Of course I did. It was the same one I had been trying to banish for the past three hours. "Really look at it. I mean, memorize every feature."  
  
I waved my hand. "I know that book, Evans, can we continue?"  
  
"I want you to really see it, Potter," she said in a strained tone. "Look at the damned book!"  
  
"I know what it looks like! Let's move on!" I said, my eyes narrowing.  
  
Suddenly she smiled in that way I absolutely hate. It was the one where she was about to make a fool out of me.  
  
"Oh really? Alright then." Evans pulled the book off the table and onto her lap where I couldn't see it. "Close your eyes. What's the title of the book, and for that matter, what color is it?"  
  
Oops. "Er, Advanced Charms and red?" I guessed.  
  
She threw the book back onto the table. I opened my eyes. It was 1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi and the cover was blue.  
  
"You see?" she said, exasperated. "You don't concentrate on anything! Really examine this book. Look at it, Potter! Memorize it! You notice how it's three–dimensional? That's very important in Charms, knowing that objects have depth."  
  
So I looked at the damned book. I memorized the outline, the shape, the color, and everything else until I could picture it with my eyes closed. Apparently that's what Evans wanted.  
  
"Close your eyes," she instructed.   
  
I closed them, but I complained. "How am I supposed to do this with my eyes closed?"  
  
"Hush, and listen to me. Can you see the book in your mind?" I nodded. "Good. Now what's the title?"  
  
"1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi."  
  
"Color?"  
  
"Blue."  
  
"Hard or soft cover?"  
  
"Hard."  
  
"Is it thick?"  
  
"Considering there are 1001 magical herbs and fungi in there, I'd say thick."  
  
"Okay good." Suddenly she grabbed my wrist lightly; I felt tremors run down my spine. "I'm pointing your wand at the book. Now as you say the words, I want you to imagine flinging this book away from you. You don't want this thing anywhere near you. Pretend...pretend that Snape has kissed this book and rolled on top of it in the mud. Severus Snape has snogged with your text book in the mud."  
  
"Eew, Evans, I'm going to be sick," I said as my stomach churned.  
  
"Good," she replied. "Now banish it!"  
  
I banished. When I ventured to open my eyes I saw 1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi on the other side of the library. Evans was smiling brightly and her eyes sparkled.  
  
"You did it! You actually did it, Potter! I knew it would happen eventually."  
  
I smiled back at her. "I actually did it! I'm the King of Charms."  
  
Evans actually laughed. "I wouldn't get too carried away, but it was a very good job. Can you do it again?"  
  
I banished again and again and again. I was starting to have a lot of fun. Then I pulled out a bottle of butterbeer from my satchel and offered it to Evans.   
  
"Oh, thanks, Potter, I'm parched." She pulled the cap off and took a swig.  
  
"I'm the one who should thank you. You're a pretty good tutor, when you're not yelling at me."  
  
She smiled again. She looked very pretty when she smiled. What was I thinking? She's Evans! It wasn't until her arm bumped mine that I realized how close together we were. So close in fact that I could see the tiny smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose.  
  
At the same time we both started to lean in a little closer. Then before I realized what was happening, our lips met. We held it for a fraction of a second before we parted, both looking horrified.   
  
At the same time we cried out, "How dare you kiss me!"  
  
I recovered first. "Me kiss you? I don't think so! You were the one who kissed me!"  
  
She was outraged. "I would never! I hate you, Potter!"  
  
"And I hate you, Evans. I most certainly did not kiss you!"  
  
She tried to take calming breaths, but was too furious. "This never happened! Ever! If you tell your friends anything, I'll murder you with my bare hands!"  
  
"Fine by me! I'm not telling anyone we kissed! People might think I like you!" Secretly and very briefly, I couldn't help noticing that she was really beautiful when she was angry. Then that thought was wiped away and replaced with my own anger.  
  
"I hate you! I don't ever want to speak to you again, and I'm not tutoring you any more! Ask Remus for help. Good bye!"  
  
She stormed out of the library. I called out, "Fine by me! I'd rather have Remus tutor me than experience any more of your company any day!"  
  
Then I was alone, with nothing but a butterbeer bottle, a few books, and a sheet of parchment to keep me company.  
  
"Damn, Lily Evans," I muttered, just a little too loudly. "As if I would ever kiss her!"  
  
"What's this, Potter? Girlfriend trouble?"  
  
And standing in the door way of the library was the last person on earth I would ever want to see. Severus Snape. Who else?  
  
  
A/N: Ooh, semi–cliffhanger! Please people, review, Review, REVIEW! In the next chapter we have more nosy obnoxious Snape and the masquerade ball. How will the Marauders dress? Stay tuned to find out! But don't expect a new chapter for at least a month and a half. If I get it up earlier than that, yay for me.   
  
Thank Yous:  
  
**Razz-Ma-tazz:** thanks, I'm sorry this was so slow to come out, but I hope you enjoyed  
**LQueenie**: emotion is something I'm good at even thought a lot of what I write I haven't actually experienced. I'm glad you like my story  
**Padfoot**: I didn't hurry, but here it is!  
**~*Crystal Lily*~:** it was sad, but it had to happen  
**betina**: here's more like you asked for!  
**thistlemeg:** i hope this is good, and I know it's over done, but often it's done badly. In a way I'm poking fun at the authors of some of those bad fics. And Sirius liking Lily? Hmm. Well, he certainly has a secret, doesn't he?  
  
and finally,  
  
**My Dear Obscurity Personified** (terrific name by the way): please don't send me to the zoo! I don't want to be eaten by emus! By the by, I love Australia. I only went for 3 weeks and it wasn't nearly enough. Everything's beautiful there and I love kangaroos and koalas. I got to hold a koala! And I was surprised to find that platypi (is that even remotely correct?) are so small! Enough of my ramblings. I hope you enjoyed and you know what to do!  



	7. Hatred In Disguise

Disclaimer: I wish I may, I wish I might, own Harry Potter and claim the rights  
  
A/N: I know, it's been a long time, but I don't really apologize because I warned you. I said it would take me a long time to update, so if you didn't listen, it's not my fault.  
  
Chapter 7: Hatred In Disguise   
  
  
I am really excited! The ball is tonight and I actually have a date! His name's Kyle Prewett and he's really cute. He's a Ravenclaw, so I know he's smart. Ooh, I'm so excited! Oh, and guess what? Claudia had her wish granted, too. Dan Brown asked her yesterday. It was so cute, he got flustered and stammered a bit.   
  
Stacy says she isn't going to go, but I don't believe her. She's kind of depressed because it turns out Jonathan Bones has a new girlfriend. I feel bad for her, but she could still go with someone else. She's just being stubborn.  
  
And of course, Megan's going with Remus. She's so excited. Normally Megan is a terrific student, but in the past week she's been day–dreaming in class and McGonagall's yelled at her three times. I think it's kind of cute, myself.  
  
A week has gone by and Potter and I haven't spoken once. Not even to insult one another or play pranks. If I see him in the hallway I run in the other direction. I can't believe we kissed. I can't explain it, I don't want to explain it. It was all a mistake. I hate Potter, I really do. I mean, would you like a boy who has made your life miserable for six years?  
  
I may not be talking to him, but I can't stop thinking about the kiss. It scared me as much as it repulsed me. What had happened? Well, at least we're not talking. That's a good thing.  
  
My costume is great. It looks really pretty and Megan is going to help me with my hair right before we get ready for the ball. Some people's costumes cover their hair, but mine is a dead give away so I'm going to dye it blonde for the night. Megan says she has the perfect spell to use.  
  
I challenged Remus to a game of chess down in the common room. Casually I asked who Potter and Black were going to the dance with. Then I felt horrified. Why did I care? What was wrong with me?  
  
Remus wouldn't tell me what his costume is, but all I have to do is look for the bloke escorting the butterfly. I also asked what Potter's costume would be, but Remus wouldn't tell me.  
  
"Come on, Lily, you don't want me to ruin the surprise, do you?"  
  
I blushed. Why was I asking anyway? I think I've gone mad. It was one little kiss, it meant nothing and I didn't want it to.  
  
After Remus trounced me in chess, I went up to my room to try on my costume. It fit perfectly and ended up slightly different than I had intended. It was a loose tunic/dress, purple was the background color and then Megan helped me paint a lion, badger, eagle, and snake in the shape of the Hogwarts crest. My mask covered my entire face and was also painted like the crest. I even have a gold headband with the school motto on it. Hogwarts has the best motto, "Never Tickle A Sleeping Dragon".   
  
My costumed looked terrific and best of all I was completely unrecognizable, once I changed my hair color. I'm so excited!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Remember the last time I wrote, and Snape appeared just after Evans and I kissed? Well he stayed for a while after that, making sickening comments and just generally being obnoxious. I don't think he knows though, thank Merlin. Imagine how he'd torture me if he knew that I had kissed Lily Evans! No, wait, I still maintain that she kissed me.  
  
Now she's avoiding me. She refuses to talk to me or even look at me. Fine with me, it's not like I care if some daft girl is fleeing from me. I have to find a new Charms tutor, though. Remus can't help me because he has enough to do with his transformations. He seemed worried that he hurt my feelings, but I reassured him.  
  
Remus, Sirius, Peter, and I just got our costumes figured out yesterday. I know, cutting it close, but we think we have the perfect disguises; no one will ever guess who we are—until we spike the punch that is.  
  
Sirius is going to be a giant bottle of butterbeer. Don't ask. He has a very brilliant costume, though. Remus is going to be a pirate. Peter's going as some Quidditch player, and I'm going to be Albus Dumbledore. I have it all planned out. I'm going to charm my hair to be long and white, give myself a beard, wear the kinds of robes that he does, and transfigure my glasses to the shape of his.  
  
I'm a bit nervous, I'll admit it. I'm sure you're wondering how I could have possibly let Evans kiss me when I have a girlfriend, but Felicity dumped me last week. She said that a long distance relationship just doesn't work and that we were too young to be so serious. It's fine with me because it left me free to ask Emilee Degas to the ball. She's a really pretty Ravenclaw whom I've had my eye on. Naturally she said yes.  
  
Remus is going with Megan, of course, but I don't know who Sirius finally picked. He's been moping for weeks and I can't figure out why. There's about a million girls who would want to go out with him, but he doesn't seem interested in any of them. I think he's sick.  
  
It was time to get into our costumes. Sirius had a bit of trouble getting into his, but between me, Remus, and Peter we managed to squeeze him into it. I adjusted my beard in the mirror and transfigured my specs. It was incredible how much I looked like Professor Dumbledore. Then I looked in the mirror and saw something terrible. My eyes were still brown!  
  
Luckily, Remus came to my rescue. He charmed them blue and I relaxed. Everything would go smoothly, I was sure of it. Once Sirius had gotten walking down, we left the room. Luckily the common room was empty so we made it down to the Great Hall without anyone seeing us.   
  
The room was decorated for Halloween, of course. Live bats flew around the ceiling, jack–o–lanterns floated above our heads. The food was already placed out and it looked amazing. The band was warming up in the center of the room next to the dance floor.   
  
I recognized Emilee right away, despite her costume. She should have hidden that hair of hers; the blonde color was very distinctive.  
  
This was going to be fun!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
It took us a long time to get ready because we were so nervous. My hands were shaking as I adjusted my headband and smoothed my now blonde hair. Megan was putting on her wings and Claudia was making sweeps with her sword. I had to duck to avoid being decapitated.  
  
"Sorry," Claudia said cheerfully. She really liked her costume.  
  
"Oh, I'm so nervous," Megan said, examining her costume in the mirror.  
  
"Relax, Meg," I said calmly. "You're going to have a wonderful time. Remus is really excited.'  
  
"Thanks, Scarlet," she said, still nervous.  
  
"You know what," Claudia said, swinging her sword again. "I'm going to challenge someone to a duel!"  
  
We laughed, mostly because she probably would! When we were finally ready and our masks were in place, we ventured to the Great Hall. It looked amazing with live bats, floating pumpkins, and a very groovy band. I wandered around looking for Kyle. I suddenly gave myself a mental kick. I don't think I told him what my costume would be! How would he find me?  
  
Trying to relax, I wandered over to the punch bowl. I had just poured myself a goblet when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I came face to face with Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"Hey," he said, "it's me!"  
  
I relaxed. Kyle had found me! "Oh, good! I love your costume. I thought you were really Professor Dumbledore."  
  
He laughed. "I like your costume too, but I'm a bit confused. Who are you supposed to be exactly?"  
  
I spun around. "I'm Hogwarts! See the crest?"  
  
He laughed again. "Brilliant! Would you like to dance?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
He led me out on to the dance floor. The music started playing and we started to dance very fast. We danced through three fast songs before we took a break and I was finally able to drink my punch. We stood around the side for a little while watching the other couples dancing. I saw Megan and Remus, who was dressed like a pirate, tango across the floor. Claudia and Dan, who was dressed as an astronaut, were swing dancing; Claudia's sword was causing a lot of minor injuries. A giant bottle of butterbeer was running around, yelling. Then the real Professor Dumbledore stood up.  
  
"If you'll all take your seats, we'll begin the meal." He looked down at his plate. "Meatloaf."  
  
Some of the meatloaf disappeared from the head table and reappeared on his plate. We all got the idea.  
  
I ordered chicken, Kyle chose steak, and the other four people at our table had fish. I didn't recognize any of the others, but I assumed that they were friends of Kyle's. The giant bottle of butterbeer stopped by our table for a moment and whispered in his ear. Kyle nodded.  
  
"Excuse me," he said to me. "I'll be right back."  
  
I nodded and he left the table. I noticed that Remus and Megan were looking at me and whispering, so I waved. Megan waved tentatively back. She seemed to come to a decision and stood up. She was headed in my direction.  
  
"Lily," she hissed under her breath. "I have to tell you something!"  
  
"Not now!" I hissed back. "And don't use my name, we're supposed to be anonymous!"  
  
"But, Lily—"  
  
"Go back to your date and have fun!" I gave her a little push and she went away, looking at me over her shoulder.  
  
Kyle came back after that. He had a broad grin on his face.  
  
"Would you like to go for a walk? You know, get some air?"  
  
"Sure," I said with a smile. He took my hand and we wandered outside. The moon was half full and there were many stars sprinkled against the dark velvet sky. It was a bit chilly out there. We continued walking until we reached a stone bench and sat down.   
  
"Tell me more about yourself," Kyle said.  
  
"Well, there's not much to tell. I like school, hope to be Head Girl next year, and have two very good friends. What about you?"  
  
He shrugged. "I like Quidditch, I'll probably be Head Boy next year, and I have three best friends."  
  
Suddenly screams of panic reached our ears. I looked at him.   
  
"What's going on?"  
  
He started laughing. "I reckon the punch has kicked in right about now!"  
  
I was shocked. "What did you do?"  
  
He shrugged, still laughing. "My friends and I spiked the punch. I didn't want you to get any so I brought you out here. There are probably a lot of chickens in there right about now."  
  
I started laughing as well. "Brilliant! And I thought Potter and I were the expert pranksters!"  
  
Suddenly he went rigid. His eyes widened in astonishment and his jaw dropped. "Evans?" he said in disbelief.   
  
My jaw dropped as well. "Potter?" I shrieked.   
  
We sat there in dismayed silence for a moment. Then at the same time we yelled, "How could you!"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
I was having a terrific time. Emilee was fun and a smashing dancer. When Sirius came by to tell me it was time, I stood up.  
  
"Excuse me, I'll be right back."  
  
She smiled prettily. I rushed over to meet Peter and Sirius by the punch bowl. I looked around for Remus. He came rushing over a minute later.  
  
"Prongs, I have to tell you something!"  
  
"Shh, don't say my name! Do you have it?" Remus had been in charge of bringing the potion.  
  
"Yes, of course, but I really need to tell you something!" Remus seemed very agitated.  
  
"Not now! Just dump it in!" Remus sighed and poured the powder into the punch. Anyone who drank it would turn into a chicken in exactly half an hour. "Great, I'm going back to my date."  
  
I ran back to Emilee who looked a little uncomfortable by herself. I asked if she'd like to take a walk with me and she said yes. I didn't want her turning into a chicken.  
  
We were sitting on a bench, admiring the stars, when the potion kicked in. We could hear the screams of panic all the way out in the gardens. Emilee jumped.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked.  
  
"I reckon the punch has kicked in by now!" I said with a laugh.  
  
She was shocked. "What did you do?"  
  
I shrugged, still laughing. "My friends and I spiked the punch. I didn't want you to get any so I brought you out here. There are probably a lot of chickens in there right about now."  
  
Emilee started laughing as well. "Brilliant! And I thought Potter and I were the expert pranksters!"  
  
I froze. It couldn't be. No. "Evans?" I said in disbelief.   
  
Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as well. "Potter?" she shrieked.   
  
We sat there in dismayed silence for a moment. Then at the same time we yelled, "How could you!"  
  
"How could I?" I said. "How could you!"  
  
She jumped up and began to pace. "Oh no, what a disaster! I can't believe even you would do such a thing! We actually danced together! I'm going to be sick."  
  
"Damn you, Evans. Emilee's going to think I stood her up! Why would you do such a thing? Ugh, I touched you!"  
  
She was shaking her head and moaning. "Why would I do such a thing? You're the one who approached me! I thought you were Kyle! Oh no, he's going to think I stood him up! This is all your fault!"  
  
"My fault!" I jumped to my feet, absolutely furious. "How is this my fault?"  
  
"You came to me! I assumed you were my date! Therefore it's your fault."  
  
"Well, you kissed me and started everything!" I retorted. It was a weak argument, but one that was sure to get a reaction. I was right.  
  
"I did not kiss you!" she screamed. "You kissed me, you twit! You make me sick! And it's all your fault for coming up to me this evening!"  
  
"I thought you were my date, your hair is blonde! Oh, just go away! How could we have been so stupid?"  
  
I had never seen Evans so enraged. She had ripped off her mask and her emerald green eyes were flashing. She was scowling and clenching her fists.  
  
"I hate you!" she screeched. "You've ruined my life, you idiot! I wish you were never born!"  
  
She ran off sobbing. I was a little taken aback. I hadn't expected her to react so violently. She had gone crashing off through the bushes and if someone didn't go after her, she could get lost. But I wasn't going to go after her. I was too angry, so I walked back to the Great Hall.   
  
Most people had been changed back, but there were one or two chickens still hopping around. I stormed inside and fell heavily into a chair. Peter came up to me, cowering slightly when he saw the look on my face.  
  
"Prongs, are you alright?" he squeaked.  
  
I scowled. "This has been the worst night of my life. I'm going to bed."  
  
I was on my way out when Dumbledore stood up again.   
  
"I think it's time for everyone to remove your masks or costumes. Let's see who we are, shall we?"  
  
I irritably waved my wand over my head so that the beard disappeared, my eyes and glasses returned to normal, and I was back in school robes. I spotted the real Emilee across the room, snogging with some other bloke. Fine. That just fit with the rest of my evening. I stomped out of the Hall and ran back to Gryffindor tower.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
I just kept running until I tripped and fell to the ground. What a miserable night! How could Potter have been so cruel? He was probably planning this prank forever. He was going to pretend to be my date and then dump me. What a bastard.   
  
I didn't try to stand up, I just continued to sob on the ground. I wouldn't have thought Potter could sink so low.   
  
"Fight with your boyfriend, Evans?"  
  
I struggled to stand up and was confronted by Snape and Malfoy. Great. Just what I needed.  
  
"Shove off, you twerps. Leave me alone."  
  
They moved closer, blocking off my retreat. I started to get scared. I was all alone in the dark gardens, hopelessly lost and surrounded by horrible Slytherins. They each wore and identical smirk.  
  
"Now, now, Evans, we only want a cozy little chat," Malfoy said smoothly.  
  
He came closer and I backed up until I was pressed against a statue. They had me cornered.  
  
"Don't even think about it, Malfoy," I threatened, although my voice wavered. "I'd kill you."  
  
He smirked and Snape took a step forward. My heart was beating fast and had jumped up into my throat. Malfoy's face was only inches away from mine; I could see little green flecks in his grey eyes.  
  
"Leave her alone!"  
  
Malfoy and Snape jumped back. The silhouette of a boy was standing a few feet away. For a moment I thought it was Potter; it wasn't.  
  
"Black?" I gasped.  
  
He didn't look at me. He wasn't wearing a costume, he was in plain school robes. He stepped forward, toward Malfoy and Snape.  
  
"Leave her alone," he repeated.  
  
"And if we don't?" Snape sneered. He and Black hated one another most of all.  
  
"I'll rip you to pieces," he said matter–of–factly. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at the two Slytherins.  
  
Malfoy was sizing him up. He must have decided that Sirius constituted a threat, because he nodded.  
  
"Fine. We'll leave. But this isn't over. Come on, Snape."  
  
Snape glared menacingly at Sirius before he, too, left. Once they were both gone, Sirius looked at me.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked.   
  
I nodded meekly. He came closer and put a friendly arm around me. I lost it. I hugged him and started to cry into his shoulder. He was taken aback; we had never really been on good terms, but as far as I was concerned he was my new best friend.  
  
"Thank you, so much, Sirius," I sobbed. "I was scared."  
  
"It's alright," he said a bit awkwardly. "I'm glad I found you in time, Lily. Come on, let's get you back up to Gryffindor Tower."  
  
As we walked back to the castle, I suddenly realized that Sirius Black and I were on a first name basis.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
I realized that I had left a book down in the common room, so I went to retrieve it. I sat in one of the armchairs in front of the fire for awhile, just staring at the flames and wondering what the hell had happened to my life.  
  
Someone gave the password and the portrait swung open. I didn't want anyone to see me in my misery, so I sank down into the chair.  
  
It was Sirius and Evans. I wanted to know what they were doing walking together, so I eavesdropped on their conversation. Evans was thanking him for something, and Sirius was telling her it was no big deal. Then she did something that made me think I was going to lose my dinner. She kissed him on the cheek and Padfoot turned red. Then she ran up to her room.  
  
Sirius stood there dazedly for a moment and I leapt out of the chair.  
  
"What the hell was that?" I demanded.  
  
Sirius jumped. "Oh, James, I didn't see you there."  
  
"Why did Evans kiss you, Padfoot?" I asked, annoyed.  
  
He blushed. "I just helped her out. No big deal."  
  
He tried to go up the stairs, but I blocked his way. "I think it is. Since when are you and Evans friends?"  
  
He started to get angry. "Since tonight, I suppose. It's none of your business, Prongs. If I want to be friends with Lily, I will!"  
  
"Lily?" I couldn't believe my ears. "Since when is she 'Lily'?"  
  
Sirius just got mad and pushed me out of the way. He stormed up the stairs.  
  
"Just mind your own business, James!" he shouted over his shoulder.  
  
I was stunned. My best friend, pals with Evans! This night was a never–ending downward spiral of misery. At that moment I really hated my life. I threw myself down in an armchair and pouted. Screw the world, that's what I say. My life was rotten. I needed a Charms tutor still, I had spent the entire night dancing with Evans, and now Sirius liked her!   
  
What next?  
  
  
A/N: Well, you'll just have to wait to find out. Oh, and Happy Birthday Obscurity Personified! Don't forget to blow out your candles!  
  
  



	8. Butterbeers and Snowstorms Make The Hear...

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the following except for Stacey Nevare, Claudia Grover, Megan Christopher, and the plot.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. This one is the one many have been waiting for, I'm sure. And let me just point out that I never said Sirius abandoned his crush on Megan or that he now has a crush on Lily. He and Lily are only friends now. Or who knows? Maybe more. *grins mischievously*

Obscurity Personified--This one's for you.

Chapter 8: Butterbeers and Snowstorms Make The Heart Grow Fonder

If someone had said to me, "Lily, in your sixth year, you and Sirius Black will become good friends", I would have laughed. But what do you know? Here it is, a week after the disastrous ball, and Sirius and I are friends. Good friends, too. I like him a lot, and I don't know why I never saw it before. He's funny, handsome, sweet, and intelligent, if you can believe that. 

He and Potter aren't speaking right now, which is fine with me. So Sirius and I have taken to spending more time together. He's helped Megan, Claudia, and me play some brilliant pranks on the Slytherins, I don't know how we ever got on without him. 

I was really relieved that he came to my rescue that night. I can't even think of it without shuddering. That entire night was a disaster from start to finish. First Potter, then Snape and Malfoy. But at least one good thing came out of it, my friendship with Sirius.

I went down to the common room looking for my friends. It was a Saturday, and I was bored. I found Sirius pouring over some Astronomy charts.

"Sirius, what are you doing?" I asked. He looked up and grinned.

"Just doing homework," he replied. Suddenly he seemed to realize what he had just said and looked horrified. "Ugh, Lily, I think you're having a bad effect on me. I'm doing homework on a Saturday."

I giggled and sat down next to him. "Tomorrow's a Hogsmeade trip, right? What do you want to do?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Normally, he and I go to Zonko's, but since we aren't speaking, we won't."

You may be wondering who the 'he' was. Take a wild guess. Yep, Potter. 

"Well, I need a new prank book," I said, "I've used up my old one, so we can go. And I want to go to the bookstore."

Sirius fidgeted and I noticed he was avoiding my eyes. 

"Look, Lily, I've really enjoyed spending more time with you, and I'm glad you're my friend, but Hogsmeade is what he and I do together. It would feel weird going with anyone else."

I scoffed. "You take girls on dates there all the time! Pretend I'm one of them."

He looked at me skeptically. "You want to go to Hogsmeade with me, on a date?"

"No, but I want to go with my friend. I'm not Potter, I'm Lily. Take me."

"Okay, if you really want..." Sirius said.

"I do. We'll have fun, I promise."

I left the common room to head out to the Quidditch field. Patrice had them practicing again, but Claudia promised she'd be finished by lunchtime so we could work on our Potions project. I found the Gryffindor team tired, wet, and muddy. They had a Quidditch game in a week. I promised Claudia I'd go even though I was still really mad at Potter. 

"Claudia!" I called. I was getting soaked. She was a wet blur and came speeding down next to me.

"What, Scarlet?" she asked, shaking some of the rain off. 

"Are you finished yet?"

"Not yet. If Patrice keeps us out here any longer, we'll drown. I think I'm turning into a fish." Claudia laughed, but it sounded forced. She looked over her shoulder at Potter who was trying to look like he wasn't eavesdropping. "Look, Scarlet, I know what happened, but don't you think it's time to put this silly feud aside and make up?"

I shook rain from my head. "No. Never. Not until he apologizes."

Claudia shook her head. "That really is never. Be the bigger person, Lily, and apologize first."

"No."

"Fine, I'll meet you in the castle later. Library, right?"

I nodded and ran back to the castle. Apologize? Me? Never! I had nothing to apologize for. It was all Potter's fault.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Evans actually expected me to apologize? As if I would. The girl was nutty, plain and simple. After all, it was all her fault.

Once I was finished with practice (and soaked through to my bones) I went and found Remus. He and Megan were snogging in front of the fireplace. They broke apart when I entered the room.

I raised one eyebrow (I love being able to do that; drives Evans batty). "No need to stop on my account."

"It's alright," Megan replied cooly, as Remus wiped his lips. He had turned red. "My lips are dry anyway."

"Prongs, do you want to get a butterbeer with us tomorrow in the Three Broomsticks?" Remus asked. Megan was whispering in his ear.

"I don't know, Moony, I'll probably run into him. Maybe I'd better stay here."

"Nonsense, Prongs," Remus replied. "It's Hogsmeade! Besides," he added slyly, "Rosmerta will be there."

"Who's Rosmerta?" Megan asked him.

"A waitress James fancies," was the reply. I smacked him with a cushion. 

"Fine, I'll go," I said resignedly, "but I won't promise to enjoy myself."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

There's really nothing like Hogsmeade on a crisp November day. It was beautiful, if a bit cold. In fact, there was already a thin layer of snow covering the ground. I don't think Sirius was enjoying it though. He was very quiet and melancholy. Even Zonko's wouldn't cheer him up, and we didn't run into Potter or anything.

We strolled around, met up with Claudia and Dan in Honeydukes and then headed over for a butterbeer. It was getting quite cold by that time. I went to order and bumped directly into Potter. I could see Sirius go rigid; Potter did the same. There was a very long uncomfortable silence. Finally I couldn't take it any longer.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" I burst out. "I don't particularly like you, Potter, but this is ridiculous! You two are best friends, and I'm friends with Sirius. Accept that, Potter or drop dead, but pick one!"

They stared at each other for what was the longest period of time I had ever experienced. I swear that the seconds were ticking backwards.

"I'm sorry, Sirius," Potter said stiffly. Sirius suddenly smiled.

"Think nothing of it, Prongs, ol' buddy!" he said joyfully. "We had a fight, it's no big deal."

Potter smiled too and I felt that now familiar flutter in my heart. "Right, Padfoot. Let me buy you a butterbeer."

"No, I insist, let me buy you one," Sirius said.

"I have an idea," I interjected; both boys looked at me. "Why don't you gentlemen buy me a butterbeer, I'm awfully cold."

Both Potter and Sirius laughed. I hurumphed and went to find a booth. As I stared out the window, I noticed the snow was falling harder. It was very pretty, made the entire village look like a Christmas card. I waved to Megan and Remus who had just entered.

"I'll be right back," I told them. Then I headed for the restroom. Damn it, why does Potter's smile make me go weak in the knees? I needed a doctor.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

I was in a much better mood. Sirius and I had made up and for once, Evans wasn't being abominable. I sipped my butterbeer and laughed with my friends. Then we heard the news report.

Some one in the pub had turned their wireless to the Wizarding Wireless Network and it was currently a weather report.

"Weather conditions are steadily decreasing in the Hogsmeade area," intoned the voice. "A blizzard is brewing and all members of the community are urged to get home and stay there."

I looked out the window. Everything was white! I could hardly see the outlines of the other shops. The phone rang and Rosmerta picked it up. She listened for a few moments before hanging up. Then she came to my table.

"That was Professor McGonagall," she said in her pleasant voice. "She requests that all Hogwarts students return to school immediately so they aren't caught in the storm. You'd better go."

We all groaned. But we knew better to disobey. So once we picked up our bags and packages, we headed outside. It wasn't until we were about ten feet from the pub that I realized Evans wasn't with us.

"Damn!" I cursed under my breath. "Go on!" I shouted to Sirius and the others. "I'll catch up!"

Sirius said something but I couldn't hear him over the roar of the storm. In less than ten minutes the storm had gone from light sprinkle to blizzard. I fought my way back through the winds towards where I had come from, but the winds kept pushing me back and forced me to close my eyes. I was lost, I couldn't see, and I could hardly move. 

"Evans!" I called into the wind. My voice echoed. "Evans! Lily, are you out there!"

But there was nothing but the howling of the storm.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When I came out of the bathroom, I was very surprised to find the Three Broomsticks empty. Wouldn't you have been? 

Grabbing my bag I ran outside. Mistake number one. I was instantly buffered from side to side and felt like I just plunged into an icy lake. I fell to my knees and tried to crawl forward. Mistake number two. I was hopelessly lost and started to sink into the snow. I was so cold! 

"Help!" I called weakly. I could barely hear my own voice. I was really scared. I thought I might die there. But suddenly, ever so faintly, I heard a voice call my name.

"Lillleeee!" it called. It was hard to hear; I had to strain my ears to make it out. 

I forced my self up and stumbled in what I thought was the direction of the voice. But I fell over and was too weak to get up. Snow and ice filled my senses. Everything was blindingly white and I was frozen.

Just when I had resigned myself to an early death and was losing consciousness, a hand reached down and grabbed my wrist, yanking me to my feet. I came face to, well, chin technically since he's taller than me, with Potter. I blinked.

"Potter?" Then I fainted.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

I have absolutely no idea how I got myself there, let alone Evans. It was sort of a blur. I just picked her up and stumbled in a random direction. It must have been pure luck that I made it. Some part of my brain had focused on the fact that we needed shelter, and my brain picked the Shrieking Shack. Fortunately I knew a secret way in and I dumped Evans on the couch. I didn't like how cold she was; for that matter, I didn't like how cold I was. 

I had to make a fire; my numb brain understood that much. But how? I had left my wand back at Hogwarts. 

'Think, Potter," I scolded myself. My scolding voice sounded strangely like Evans.

Evans. I looked over to her. She was so pale and so cold. I sat down on the edge of the couch and touched her cheek gently before I could register what I was doing. Her eyes opened slowly and she smiled languidly. Then she blinked and her smile faded.

"Potter, what the—" She looked so scared and confused. I didn't blame her. If I had been unconscious in the middle of a blizzard and woke up to find my worst enemy hovering over me, I'd be nervous too.

"We're stuck here for a while, Evans," I said bluntly. "There's a terrible blizzard outside and we can't leave."

"Where are we?" she asked. Our faces were really close together and I couldn't help noticing how beautiful her eyes were.

"The Shrieking Shack," I informed her. She blanched.

"Isn't it, um, haunted?" she asked in a tiny voice. I nearly laughed, but it wasn't a laughing situation.

"No," I said. She didn't look like she believed me. In fact, she edged closer to me, so close that I could smell her. She smelled really wonderful. Like spice and soap. Evans didn't wear perfume like a lot of girls and I found that almost irresistible. "Trust me," I added.

She was looking at me warily, but didn't seem to notice our proximity. Then suddenly her eyes opened wide and she edged away.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"Don't be," I found myself saying. When she gave me a strange look, I added, "We might have to, er, stay close for warmth. I'm not sure I can get a fire going."

And just that suddenly, all the hostility was back.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Don't you have your wand?" I asked irritably, feeling some energy returning. I got off the sofa and discovered a few blankets, one of which I tossed to Potter.

"No," he said, flushing. "I left in the castle. Do you have yours?"

"Well, no," I admitted. "But weren't you a boy scout or something?"

"A boy scout?" he repeated blankly.

"Does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours?" I asked, frustrated. "Rub two sticks together!"

Potter's reply was sarcastic. "Where would I find the sticks?"

I ignored him and grabbed a chair. Then I threw it on the floor and proceeded to break it into pieces while Potter watched open–mouthed. When it was in pieces, I selected two and started to rub them together. I was trying to work up some friction, but only succeeded in giving myself splinters. Potter watched in amusement for awhile before sighing.

"Let me." He hopped off the sofa and knelt behind me. He put his arms around me and grabbed the sticks rubbing them together, making small noises as he worked. His efforts were rewarded as sparks appeared. How appropriate, I thought. There were always sparks between me and Potter.

Soon we had a fire blazing merrily and we sat as close to it as possible for warmth. There was silence between us; the only noise the crackle of the flames and the howling of the wind outside.

Finally, just to break the silence, I said, "Thank you."

Potter seemed surprised. "For what?"

"For saving my life." I wanted to add 'you twit', but I restrained myself.

"Oh. You're welcome," he replied.

More silence.

"Why did you come back for me?" I asked suddenly.

He shrugged. "I dunno."

I moved closer to him; he didn't move away. 

"You didn't have to. Everyone knows you don't like me."

"Everyone knows you don't like me either. No hard feelings."

I wasn't satisfied. "Why don't you like me?"

"You're always rude to me. Why don't you like me?"

"You're a pompous git with an unhealthy Quidditch obsession."

More silence.

"Glad we got that cleared up."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

My heart was beating madly inside my chest. This was Evans I tried to remind myself. But was no use with her sitting there looking adorable like that. Merlin, she had the most beautiful eyes.

"How is your sister?"

An odd question, but a welcome change of topic.

"She's fine," I replied. "Better." Suddenly I recalled how it had been Evans who had comforted me on that horrible occasion.

"And how are you?" she whispered softly.

I took a moment before replying. "Alright. Cold though."

And before my brain realized what was happening, Evans moved closer.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I don't like Sirius, you know. Not in that way." I have no idea what made me say those words. My heart was beating uncontrollably. It was so loud I expected Potter to hear it.

One eyebrow raised questioningly; I hated it when he did that. "Oh? Then what was with the kiss?"

I frowned. "What kiss? Oh, the one after the Ball. He saved my, well, not my life, but my virtue, I suppose you could say. He was very kind."

"I see." More silence. I hated that silence. "And what do I get for saving your life?"

I froze. Was he actually saying what I thought he was saying?

"What do you want? A medal?" I said as sarcastically as possible, but this time he wasn't fooled. 

He brought his face really close to mine, so close our noses were almost touching. I could see his brown eyes, I saw how they were looking into my green ones. I saw how one corner of his mouth was twitching in amusement. And I was filled with a sudden insane desire to reach up and brush the hair from his eyes.

"Not a medal," he answered smoothly. "A promise."

Now I was curious. "What sort of promise?"

"A promise that you won't tell anyone what happens tonight." His breath tickled my neck as he bent low to whisper in my ear.

I felt an excited chill run down my spine. "Will you make the same promise?"

"I will."

"Alright then," I said. I was beginning to feel giddy and I knew it wasn't the butterbeer.

At the same time our lips met and we kissed with such force that my teeth rattled. It went on for a very long time as my arms found their way around his neck and his wrapped around my waist. When we broke apart we were both breathing heavily. I didn't pull away; neither did he.

"What, no rude accusations?" he asked, but I saw the light in his eyes.

"No." And I kissed him again. It felt so good, so right. Good Lord, I was kissing James Potter. 

And I was loving it.


End file.
